Nairobi, Kenya – The World Bank has appointed Hideki Matsunaga of Japan as its new Country Manager for Somalia. Matsunaga will be responsible for leading the design, implementation, and coordination of the World Bank’s growing portfolio in Somalia, which currently totals $2.63 billion.
According to an official statement from the World Bank, Matsunaga will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, where the Somalia Country Management Unit is headquartered.
His leadership will be central to ensuring strategic alignment between Somalia’s development priorities and World Bank support, particularly in areas such as economic recovery, governance, climate resilience, infrastructure, and social services.
Matsunaga brings decades of experience to the role, having served the World Bank in multiple senior positions, including previous assignments across Africa and Asia in public sector reform, institutional development, and post-conflict reconstruction.
The World Bank’s Somalia portfolio spans a wide range of sectors, including education, health, water, urban development, energy, and finance, delivered through the International Development Association (IDA).
The Bank’s programs in Somalia are crucial in supporting state-building, improving service delivery, promoting inclusive growth, and fostering resilience in a country grappling with the effects of conflict, climate change, and economic fragility.
Matsunaga’s appointment comes at a time when Somalia is deepening reforms and preparing for an ambitious development agenda under the government’s National Development Plan and post-HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) debt relief phase.
The World Bank reiterated its commitment to working closely with the Somali government, development partners, and local communities to support sustainable development and peacebuilding across Somalia.