HCMC – Carolyn Carrie Turk, based in Hanoi, assumed the position of World Bank (WB) country director for Vietnam on July 1, 2020.
Turk, a UK national, joined the WB in 1998. She has since held various positions, including Senior Poverty Specialist based in Vietnam, Senior Social Development Specialist and Lead Social Development Specialist in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region and Country Manager for Rwanda.
Her most recent assignment was the WB Country Director for Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan and Eritrea.
Prior to joining the WB, Turk worked with the UK Department for International Development.
She holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Economics from the University of Cambridge and has authored numerous publications on poverty and inequality, including a book based on research into gender inequality in 20 countries.
Turk will provide the leadership needed to further strengthen the WB’s financing and knowledge engagements with Vietnam, including at the sub-national level, so that Vietnam can achieve the ambitious yet achievable goal of emerging as a high-income country by 2045.
As of June 30, 2020, the WB provided US$24.86 billion in grants, credit and loans to Vietnam to support the country’s development agenda, with an active portfolio of 38 projects valued at US$7.4 billion.
Over the past six months, the WB has committed US$516.67 million for the development of Vietnam through projects covering transport, urban development, higher education and climate change and green growth.
The WB’s strong analytic and advisory program in Vietnam has provided strategic, cutting edge and timely knowledge and advice to support the country’s development agenda, ranging from the most recent series of Covid-19 response policy notes to inputs into the country’s upcoming 10-year development strategy and 5-year development plan.
