Mauritanian economist and former prime minister Zeine Zeidane has been appointed director of the International Monetary Fund’s Africa Department, placing him at the centre of the Fund’s engagement with the continent at a time when African governments are pushing for more financing, debt support and reforms in global financial governance.
The IMF announced the appointment on April 3, 2026, saying Zeidane will succeed Abebe Aemro Selassie of Ethiopia, who is set to step down on May 1 after nearly a decade in the role.
The appointment is significant for Africa because the IMF’s Africa Department oversees the Fund’s economic surveillance, lending programmes and policy engagement across sub-Saharan Africa, a region where many countries continue to face debt pressures, fiscal constraints and rising development financing needs.
During Selassie’s tenure, the IMF mobilised about 60 billion dollars in financing for sub-Saharan Africa, reflecting the scale of the institution’s involvement in the region during a period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, global inflation shocks, and tighter international financial conditions.
Zeidane takes over at a time when expectations of the IMF remain high across the continent.
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A former prime minister of Mauritania and ex-central bank governor, Zeidane brings both policymaking and financial sector experience to the role. He served as Mauritania’s prime minister in 2007 and joined the IMF in 2012, beginning what has now become more than a decade of service at the institution.
Within the Fund, he has held several senior roles, including deputy director of the Africa Department and deputy director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department.
Those positions gave him direct exposure to a broad range of macroeconomic and financial policy issues, including concessional financing, economic reform frameworks, and the IMF’s crisis response during the pandemic.
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His work at the IMF also included engagement with countries and institutions in the Gulf, a region whose financial influence in Africa has expanded significantly in recent years.
Zeidane was involved in the opening of the IMF’s regional office in Riyadh in 2024, part of a wider effort by the institution to strengthen its presence in emerging financing centres and deepen engagement with a broader group of economic partners.
That background is expected to be one of his key strengths as he assumes leadership of the Africa Department, especially at a time when the continent’s financing landscape is becoming more diverse and more complex.
One of the biggest issues likely to shape his tenure is Africa’s demand for improved access to financing.
Several African governments have been calling on the IMF to expand support and provide more flexible financing arrangements that reflect the fiscal realities facing low-income and vulnerable economies.
There is also growing pressure for reform of the IMF’s quota system, which determines both voting power and access to financial resources.
African policymakers have long argued that the continent remains underrepresented in the Fund’s governance structures despite its large population, development needs and exposure to global economic shocks.
Debt sustainability is another major issue.
Following the pandemic, imported inflation, high borrowing costs and tighter global monetary policy, many African countries are still operating with limited fiscal space and difficult policy trade-offs.
The IMF has generally advocated a mix of gradual fiscal adjustment, social protection and growth-supportive reforms, while maintaining that debt distress in some countries can still be managed without full restructuring.
Zeidane’s background as a former central bank governor and government official may prove valuable in navigating these trade-offs, particularly as governments try to balance debt sustainability with the need to protect jobs, social spending and growth.
His appointment also comes amid broader shifts in the global economy.
The growing role of China, India, and Gulf states, alongside changing U.S. trade policies, has widened Africa’s financing options and increased its bargaining power. But it has also made debt negotiations and policy coordination more complex.
In this environment, the IMF is increasingly being called upon to work with a wider range of creditors and partners.
For many African countries, Zeidane’s leadership will be closely watched—not only for how the Fund responds to immediate economic pressures, but also for whether it can adapt more effectively to Africa’s changing development and financing realities.
A Mauritanian national, Mr. Zeidane has over two decades of experience in macroeconomic policymaking and international economic cooperation. He currently serves as Deputy Director in the Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD), overseeing the Fund’s engagement with major economies in the Gulf region and helping to deepen strategic partnerships with key regional partners, including through the establishment of the IMF Regional Office in Riyadh in 2024.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Zeidane served in AFR as a Deputy Director, where he was closely involved in some of the largest and most complex engagements in the region. He also played a central role in shaping Fund policies to better meet the needs of sub-Saharan Africa, notably through reforms to concessional lending policies and the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) during the pandemic. Drawing on his ability to link country experience with institutional priorities, Mr. Zeidane previously led work on the 2018 Governance Policy during his time in the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department (SPR).
Before joining the IMF in 2012, Mr. Zeidane held several of the most senior economic policymaking positions in Mauritania, including serving as Prime Minister, Governor of the Central Bank, and Economic Advisor to the President. This experience was complemented by roles with the World Bank and in the commercial banking sector, giving him a well-rounded perspective on policy design, implementation, and engagement with international partners.
“Zeine’s calm and measured approach has proven especially effective in addressing difficult and sensitive challenges,” added Ms. Georgieva. “I am confident that he will successfully lead AFR with a shared sense of purpose in advancing its mandate and serving our membership.”
Mr. Zeidane holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and a postgraduate degree in Macroeconomics from the University of Nice.
