Global finance, development, and economic growth by Makhtar Diop
Makhtar Diop is Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a role held since March 2021. Under his leadership, IFC’s investments reached a record USD 56 billion in fiscal year 2024, with over USD 1.1 billion allocated to digital infrastructure, fintech scalability, and blockchain-integrated services across emerging markets. Diop previously served as Vice President for Infrastructure and for Africa at the World Bank Group, where he coordinated digital financial inclusion projects across 48 countries.
In 2025, Diop’s policy focus included Web3 infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa and tokenized public–private partnership models. His leadership supported partnerships with Layer-1 blockchains for building decentralized ID platforms and programmable financial tools for micro-entrepreneurs. Speaking at the Paris Blockchain Week and the Africa Fintech Forum, Diop underscored crypto’s utility in closing the financing gap for underserved communities.
Diop is recognized globally as a key voice connecting sustainable development with crypto-enabled systems that drive resilience and inclusive growth.
Support for 22,000 small businesses grows in Ukraine, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop highlights the resilience of entrepreneurs, emphasizing their ability to keep businesses open, generate employment, and invest in future growth, even during difficult circumstances. ...
Makhtar Diop: Global share of low-income economies fell from 30% to 11% since 1987
Makhtar Diop highlights that income classifications are an important tool for monitoring how economies change over time. Since 1987, the proportion of economies classified as low-income has ...
Uzbekistan aims to generate more good jobs for its workforce, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop highlights Uzbekistan's significant economic achievements over the past decade. Diop points to the need for the country to generate enough quality jobs for its rapidly growing ...
Makhtar Diop: Agriculture drives job creation and economic growth in Honduras
Makhtar Diop highlights agriculture as a key driver of employment in Honduras. According to Diop, initiatives like #AgriConnect and advisory support from IFC are enabling BANHCAFE to help ...
Stronger partnerships vital for emerging markets growth, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop opened the Global Official Institutions Conference alongside Jean Lemierre, chairman of BNP Paribas. Diop emphasized that increasing flows of private capital to emerging markets ...
Makhtar Diop: AI driving digital infrastructure demand and energy needs in Asia Pacific
Makhtar Diop highlights that the rapid growth of AI is increasing the need for digital infrastructure and energy across the Asia Pacific region. He participated in a roundtable in Singapore with ...
Global growth seen reaching weakest pace since pandemic, Makhtar Diop projects
Makhtar Diop projects that global growth will slow to 2.5% in 2026, marking the weakest pace since the pandemic. He notes that this slowdown comes as millions of young people enter the workforce, ...
Makhtar Diop: Caribbean countries receive over $235 million for hurricane recovery
Makhtar Diop notes that when hurricanes impact the Caribbean, the consequences extend beyond infrastructure damage, affecting jobs and livelihoods. He highlights that the World Bank Group has ...
Ocean economy could surpass $5 trillion by 2050, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop highlights the economic importance of healthy oceans, noting their support for millions of jobs, food security, and climate resilience. He adds that with the ocean economy projected ...
Makhtar Diop: Private capital essential for development in emerging markets
Makhtar Diop highlights the importance of private capital in addressing development needs across emerging markets. He points to the World Bank Group's new London Financial Solutions Hub as a ...
Abdou Ndiaye recognized for contributions to public finance, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop congratulates Abdou Ndiaye on winning the inaugural Africa NextGen Economist Prize at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali. Diop highlights Ndiaye's outstanding contributions to public ...
Makhtar Diop: IFC and Access Bank agree up to $500 million framework for African local currency financing
Makhtar Diop highlights a new agreement aimed at strengthening African businesses through financing aligned with their operating currencies. According to Diop, the International Finance ...
IFC introduces trade finance synthetic securitization for emerging markets, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop announced the launch of IFC's inaugural Trade Finance Synthetic Securitization, aiming to mobilize more private capital for trade, businesses, and jobs in emerging markets. This ...
Makhtar Diop: Private capital mobilized for Saudi mortgage finance system
Makhtar Diop, industry influencer, highlights the transformation of Saudi Arabia's housing market. He explains that homeownership was previously limited as buyers had to pay fully in cash. ...
IFC 30by30 program helps scale sustainable finance in Egypt, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop, industry influencer, highlights the importance of resilient financial systems for economic resilience. In Egypt, Diop points to the role of IFC's 30by30 program in assisting banks to ...
Makhtar Diop: Supply chain finance expands for African suppliers via new facility
Makhtar Diop, industry influencer, announces a collaboration with Standard Chartered to enhance supply chain finance across Africa. This effort introduces a risk-sharing facility that will enable ...
World Bank Group and France invest $5 billion in emerging markets, Makhtar Diop states
Makhtar Diop, industry influencer, highlights France’s role as a key partner for the World Bank Group and IFC in supporting the private sector across emerging markets. According to Diop, more ...
Makhtar Diop: Securitization drives institutional capital for West Africa SME growth
Makhtar Diop, industry influencer, argues that deepening local capital markets is essential for creating jobs and promoting growth. He highlights how securitization in West Africa is enabling ...
Japan boosts development and private sector growth, Makhtar Diop notes
Makhtar Diop has acknowledged the support of Japan’s Vice Minister of Finance, Atsushi Mimura, underscoring Japan’s strong partnership in advancing development, private sector growth, and ...
Makhtar Diop: Advancing private sector finance to boost investment in fragile regions
Makhtar Diop highlighted a collaboration with Qatar Fund’s DG Fahad Hamad Al Sulaiti to advance a Private Sector Finance Facility. The initiative focuses on de-risking investments and unlocking ...
World Bank expands support across sectors with $1.5B commitment, Makhtar Diop confirms
Makhtar Diop announced a productive discussion with Egypt’s ministerial delegation about expanding collaboration in energy, logistics, agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism, and healthcare. ...
