Since 2018, Mr. Bassirou Sarr has served as a Senior Advisor within the Minister of Finance’s cabinet in Senegal. Over time, he has had policy responsibilities spanning public financial management, tax revenue strategies, capital markets, financing from domestic and international institutions, and the state of Senegal's portfolios on strategic sectors such as banking, energy, natural resources, and health care. He has also led the Ministry of Finance's involvement in complex projects spanning many sectors: oil & gas, mining, bank acquisitions, infrastructure development, transport, and social housing.  He also leads the Ministry of Finance's initiatives on sustainable finance (ESG, climate finance). He served as an Advisor in the UNFCCC Transitional Committee on Loss and Damage set up in COP28. He has coordinated the Ministry's significant international financing transactions, including Eurobonds and loans with enhancements. Mr. Sarr also assists the Minister of Finance with the strategic oversight of the relationship with the World Bank Group, including the origination of new projects, budget support reforms, private sector development strategies with IFC, and loan enhancement operations with MIGA. Mr. Sarr has been a European Investment Bank (EIB) and Global Development Network Fellow. He has a Master's in Economic Analysis and Policy from EHESS & Paris School of Economics and a B.A. in Mathematics from Carleton College, USA. He has co-authored several papers in public finance, notably on tax systems and revenue mobilization.

Miguel has a Degree in Business Administration from ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management. Among other functions, he has performed the following functions: 1) Chairman of the Board of Directors - Cabo Verde Stock Exchange – Since Feb 2021; 2) Member of National Parliament and secretary of the board - National Assembly of Cabo Verde – 2011 / Jan 2021; 3) Commercial and Financial Director of several Societies – 2002 / 2011; 4) PricewaterhouseCoopers Auditor – 2000 / 2002.

Iain G. Shuker is the World Bank’s Regional Director for Sustainable Development for Eastern & Southern Africa Region. He is an economist with over 30 years of experience in the World Bank and has occupied various roles in the Europe and Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, and Africa Regions, offering expertise in the areas of environmental and natural resource management, agriculture, finance, disaster risk management and land reform. Prior to joining the World Bank, he worked at the International Food Policy Research Institute. He holds a PhD degree in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota in the United States. In his current assignment, Mr. Shuker oversees the policy direction, strategic partnerships, and delivery of sustainable development lending programs in the 26 countries in the region.  His focus is on developing innovative products and delivering programs at scale for tangible impact. He oversees a team of over 300 staff and an active portfolio of $23.8 Billion in investments across the region in agriculture, environment, water, urban and social development sectors, as well as the delivery of the Bank’s new core analytical report on climate change.  His goal is to address prominent challenges in the region, such as food security, social inclusion, equitable economic transitions, access to water and sanitation, and climate resilience.

Eng. Coletha Uwineza Ruhamya, is currently Deputy Executive Secretary of East African Community (EAC)/Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), a former Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and Minister of State (MoS) for Energy and Water in the Ministry of Infrastructure/ Rwanda. She also served as a lecturer prior her appointment as cabinet member.  She holds Master of Science and Advanced Diploma in Environmental Engineering, Graduate Diploma in Civil Engineering and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management for Sustainable Development.  Eng. Ruhamya has developed several policies, laws and regulations on Environment and Climate Change, Energy, Water Management and Development and strongly engaged stakeholders to influence the integration of Environment and Climate Change into different sector’s policies, plans and programmes for sustainability. She has initiated and implemented different programmes to address climate change impacts for deferent sectors (Agriculture, Energy, water, forestry, urbanization) at national and regional level. She has led production of deferent key documents (Rwanda Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy (GG&CRS), Third National Communication Reports to the UNFCCC, Vulnerability Assessment Report, National Determined Contributions (NDCS) for Rwanda, currently leading the Lake Victoria Basin - State of the Basin report.  Being a lecturer, a policy maker, and a regulator, Eng. Ruhamya is knowledgeable in linking sciences, policies, and practices for better results.

Diji Chandrasekharan Behr is a Lead Environmental Economist for Eastern & Southern Africa Region. At the World Bank, Diji has been involved with investment operations and analytical work focused on integrated planning and development, climate adaptation, green growth, optimizing natural asset use and rural SME development. She has worked in several countries in Latin America, South East Asia, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia and Africa. Diji has an MSc in Applied and Agricultural Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a PhD in Natural Resource Management and Policy from Cornell University.