Abebe Selassie

Abebe Aemro Selassie is the Director of the African Department, where he oversees the IMF’s operations and engagement with 45 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. 

Under his leadership the IMF has disbursed some $51 billion to support the post pandemic recovery and foster greener more inclusive growth. Working tirelessly alongside the region’s leaders Mr. Selassie strives to strengthen the region’s financial architecture and support Africa reaching its true potential.

Before taking up his current position in 2016, Mr. Selassie gained extensive experience in a wide-ranging career at the IMF. He held various senior positions, including Deputy Director in the African Department, Mission Chief for Portugal during the Euro Area Crisis and South Africa. He has served as the IMF’s Senior Resident Representative in Uganda and earlier in his career, he worked on the Fund’s lending programs with Turkey, Thailand, Romania and Estonia. While in the Strategy, Policy and Review Department he was deeply involved in low-income country and emerging-market programs and policy design issues.

Before joining the IMF in 1994, he worked for the Government of Ethiopia as Principal Economist in the Office of the President and at the Economist Intelligence Unit in London.