DEVELOPMENT NEWS


H


e’s only a couple of months into the job, but Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa already fills the Director-General’s office on the second floor of OFID’s Palais


Deutschmeister with a sense of quiet authority. Formerly of the World Bank and the Saudi


Arabian Public Investment Fund, OFID’s new Director-General is no stranger to multi-cultural organizations (OFID currently employs around 200 staff from 31 countries) and doesn’t appear to be the type to get flustered by the new challenge at hand in Vienna. “Focus on strategy, stay calm and never make decisions when you’re angry,” he says, in answer to a question about management style. Unassuming and softly spoken, Dr Alkhalifa, an economist who holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Miami and a Master’s in Applied Economics from Southern Methodist University


of this agreement and our work will continue to support sustainable development through financing essential infrastructure, strengthening social services and promoting productivity, competitiveness and trade in all developing regions of the world.” He is also clear about OFID remaining true to its aim of being led by the demands of developing countries, so that any support the organization provides reflects the needs and priorities of such countries in their quest for economic development and social welfare – not the needs or priorities of OFID or anyone else. Dr Alkhalifa, a Saudi Arabian national, admits that he was attracted to the top job at OFID because of this commitment: “You cannot find this work everywhere; only at specialized institutions,” he says. “Our business model is unusual. This is not an institution


Listen


(Dallas, Texas), explains that it’s too early to start laying down his goals for OFID’s future just yet. “I like to listen,” he says. “I want to hear people’s opinions about what we’re doing well and what we need to improve on.” His priority, he says, is to understand and strengthen OFID’s partnerships with its member and partner countries. OFID’s wide network of strategic partners includes the bilateral and multilateral development institutions of OPEC member countries, the specialized agencies of the United Nations, the World Bank, regional and national development banks, commercial banks and a host of NGOs. Of the 24 public sector development projects approved by OFID in 2017, for example, 19 were co-financed with external donors (in addition to the concerned governments). “Cooperation and strengthening partnerships will be key to my term as Director-General,” says Dr Alkhalifa. “I’m looking forward to building on the relations we already have and developing new ones.” There is another thing Dr Alkhalifa is certain about: OFID’s commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. “You know, the SDGs are a global agreement about how to focus development,” he says. “OFID has its own focus, but we are part


26 OFID'S NEW DIRECTOR–GENERAL &


inception in 1976. Our total disbursements at the end of 2017 was US$14,790.3 million against US$13,579.4 million at the end of 2016. I want to grow this so that we can keep doing great work.” Public sector operations remain central to


OFID’s business, but Dr Alkhalifa recognizes the importance of OFID’s Private Sector and Trade Finance Operations Department (PSTFOD) too. These ‘windows’ are a complementary means for OFID to fulfil its core mission of assisting developing countries in their socioeconomic development and are essential to OFID’s financial sustainability. During 2017, PSTFOD finance approvals totaled US$787.5 million, up from US$711.5 million in 2016, representing an increase of nearly 11 percent. His first impressions of the organization are


Steve Hughes talks Sustainable Development Goals, strong finances and skiing with OFID’s new Director-General Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa


created to maximize profits. We must balance our commitment to alleviating poverty and stimulating developing economies with our own need for financial sustainability. Without the latter, we can’t continue to support the SDGs or provide grants. “This is my responsibility – to help strengthen our financial position so that we can continue our development work well into the future,” he continues. “In 2017, OFID made total new approvals of US$1,508 million compared with US$1,339 million in 2016. OFID has now committed nearly US$22 billion [end-2017 figures] to sustainable development since its


learn


favorable – “we’re already doing everything well,” he says – and as he prepares for his first Governing Board meeting (where development projects are formally assessed, and financing is approved), Dr Alkhalifa says he is pleased by the professionalism of OFID’s staff. In answer to a question from OFID’s internal staff magazine about his biggest achievement to date, he recently replied: “Becoming part of the OFID team. I feel privileged to work for this organization because of the professionalism of my colleagues and our mission to support the economic development in low and middle income countries and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”


Helping good people to become even better is one of the main motivators for OFID’s new head. “This is what gets me out of bed in the morning,” he says, though he admits a couple of strong Arabic coffees sometimes help, too. As for unwinding after a hard day at the office? Either a long walk through the city – he is excited about discovering Vienna’s many historic palaces – or, once the weather warms up a little, Dr Alkhalifa, a keen sportsperson, enjoys water-skiing. Perhaps as he becomes more accustomed to


life in Austria, he may be persuaded to swap the water and the wetsuit for the slopes and downhill skis?


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59