Sandra Kassab Takes Helm as Director of the Africa Department at AFD

Sandra Kassab has been appointed as the Director of the Africa Department at the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). In her new role, she will oversee AFD’s activities and regional strategy across the African continent, which accounts for 43% of the organisation’s global project volume, spanning 44 countries.

With nearly two decades of experience at AFD, Kassab has played a pivotal role in structuring development and financing projects across various geographies and sectors, including infrastructure, energy, finance, and social development.

Before her appointment, she served as Deputy Director of the Orient Department since August 2022, within AFD’s Geographies Executive Directorate. Her international experience includes eight years abroad, notably as Senior Project Manager at AFD’s Cairo office from 2014 to 2018, where she focused on Energy, Health, and Social Protection sectors.

Before joining AFD in 2006, Kassab worked with leading international development organisations, including the World Bank in Haiti, where she developed strategies for World Bank operations, and the African Development Bank in Tunisia.

An accomplished professional, Kassab has published articles and contributed to seminars on sustainable development. She holds a Master’s degree in International Law from the University of Paris I, La Sorbonne, and was originally trained as a lawyer.

Her extensive expertise in development and strategic leadership is expected to bolster AFD’s mission of sustainable development across Africa.