World Bank Managing Director Mahmoud Mohieldin met with Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal on  March 25, at CB’s Governor’s Office.

Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Managing Director of the World Bank, visited Sri Lanka to get a first hand view of the country’s achievements, challenges and potential. He was accompanied by Diarietou Gaye, World Bank’s Country Director for Sri Lanka, and a team of officials from Washington and the local country office.

He reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to support Sri Lanka, not only financially but in arranging opportunities to tap into the knowledge resources of the World Bank Group, as the country prepares to move from a low income to a middle income status.

Dr. Mohieldin met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Economic Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal, Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundera, and other senior officials to discuss how the World Bank can support the government to realize the country’s ambitious development goals as articulated in the Mahinda Chintana. He discussed a new partnership approach of sharing ideas and knowledge that is based on the initiative of democratizing development – a concept laid out by Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank Group.

During his stay, Dr. Mohieldin visited hospitals and schools in Nuwara Eliya, a World Bank supported Water Supply and Sanitation Project, and held discussions with the local community.

Visiting a tea plantation in Thalawakela, the Managing Director acknowledged the impressive entrepreneurial talent in positioning Sri Lankan tea in the export market and the growing importance of corporate social responsibility adopted by Sri Lanka’s business sector. In Colombo, he had discussions with representatives of the private sector, NGOs and Think Tanks.

Dr. Mohieldin leads the World Bank’s knowledge development as represented through the Bank’s Networks on: Finance and Private Sector Development, Sustainable Development, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, and Human Development, and the World Bank Institute.