INTERVIEW ABDULHAMID ALKHALIFA
“THE SIZE OF GLOBAL CHALLENGES REQUIRES US TO SCALE OUR AMBITION”
After 50 years of pioneering development work, OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa envisions the institution entering a new era – with more projects, more financing and more impact. Yet the mission remains unchanged: Improving people’s lives. By Nadia Benamara
OPEC Fund Quarterly : When you joined the OPEC Fund in November 2018, what were your first impressions?
OFQ : How did you seek to overcome those constraints? AA: Development institutions measure success by impact – real improvements in people’s lives. To expand that impact, we needed a strategy that unlocked growth. With the launch of the Strategic Framework 2030 (SF2030), our Governing Board and member countries empowered us to reimagine our future and scale our ambition. This meant aligning our systems, financial frameworks and governance with the world’s leading multilateral development banks (MDBs).
Abdulhamid Alkhalifa: I came in well aware of the challenges and
opportunities ahead. Conversations with colleagues confirmed what I had already sensed – this institution has a strong mandate, global reach and incredibly dedicated staff. A comparatively small team was achieving remarkable results in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. At the same time, I recognized that our business model at the time constrained how far we could go.
62
Powered by FlippingBook