The Governance Structure

Hanan Morsy serves as the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme) and Chief Economist at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. She brings extensive cross-country experience and deep expertise in leading high-quality policy and development initiatives, as well as forging strong partnerships across international organizations and the private sector. Ms. Morsy has authored numerous publications on economic and development topics and has led several major flagship reports. Before joining ECA, she was the Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Research at the African Development Bank from 2018 to 2021, where she provided strategic leadership on economic matters and directed analytical work that bolstered the Bank’s policy dialogue and operations in member countries. Previously, she served as Associate Director and Lead Economist for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Region at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London from 2012 to 2018, where she established and led economic analysis and policy advisory services, conducted country missions, and developed country strategies. Earlier in her career, from 2003 to 2012, she worked at the International Monetary Fund in various roles across departments, including Fiscal Affairs, Middle East and Central Asia, European, and Monetary and Capital Markets. Her work focused on exchange rate assessments, fiscal vulnerabilities, and macroprudential policies. She has considerable experience with IMF programs and surveillance across diverse economies—from developing to emerging and advanced. Ms. Morsy holds a Ph.D. in economics from George Washington University and a master’s degree in economics from the University of California, Davis.

Nassim Oulmane is a senior economist at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. He currently leads the Natural Resources, Green, and Blue Economy Section at the Climate, Food Security, and Natural Resources Division. Previously, he managed UNECA’s North Africa Office in Rabat and oversaw the WTO Chairs Programme, supporting trade policy and regional integration. Nassim Oulmane specializes in sustainable development, international trade, development policy issues, and international economic relations, which he has taught at several universities in Africa, Asia, and Europe. He has also held various roles as an economist at multiple financial institutions. Mr. Oulmane holds a PhD in economics from the University of Montpellier I, a postgraduate diploma in microeconomics and economic modelling from the University of Montpellier I, a master's degree in economics, fundamental economics, and econometrics from the University of Montpellier I, and a bachelor’s degree in econometrics and applied mathematics from the University of Aix-Marseille II.

Thierry Watrin leads the Sustainable Debt Coalition at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), where he champions innovative approaches to reframe debt as a driver of resilient and sustainable growth. His work supports over 20 governments in leveraging debt for climate action and development. Previously, he served as Chief Advisor to Rwanda’s Minister of Public Investment, leading initiatives on Green GDP, climate finance negotiations, and public investment reform. He also presented the flagship “Beyond GDP” initiative to the UN General Assembly, advocating for new metrics of progress. In addition to his policy work, Mr. Watrin teaches Climate Diplomacy at Sciences Po Paris, shaping future leaders in global climate governance. Mr. Watrin holds a master’s degree in business and finance from the University of Audencia and a Master of Engineering from the École nationale supérieure de l'Électronique et de ses Applications.

Cosmas Ochieng has been the Director of the Climate, Food Security, and Natural Resources Division since January 2025. Before that, Mr. Ochieng was an Associate Professor of the Practice of Global Development Policy at the Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University. His research and teaching interests include the theory, policy, and practice of development; global climate change and environmental policy; science, technology, and innovation policy; and the political economy of African development. Before joining Boston University, Mr. Ochieng served as the Executive Director of the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) based in Nairobi, Kenya. He also served as the Technical Coordinator for the Business, Economics, and Biodiversity Program at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office in Pretoria; Climate Change Expert at the UNEP Risoe Centre (Technical University of Denmark); Lecturer in Sustainable Agriculture, Land, and Water at Lancaster University in the UK; and Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). He continues to serve on the Board of the Elsevier Foundation and the Scientific Committee of Future Earth. Mr. Ochieng holds a DPhil in Development Studies from Oxford University, an MPhil from Cambridge University, and a BA in Sociology from Kenyatta University.

Beata Mukabaranga serves as Chief of Partnerships in the Office of the Executive Secretary at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). In this role, she leads strategic engagement with development partners, coordinates high-level collaboration initiatives, and supports UNECA’s mission to advance sustainable development across the continent. Prior to joining the UNECA, she worked for the East African Community as Programme Coordinator and later as a Principal Resource Mobilisation Officer. She was also a Country Programme Manager for the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA International). Ms. Mukabaranga has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maastricht and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Rwanda.

Nicolas Nahimana serves as the Communication Lead for the Sustainable Debt Coalition at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). In this role, he supports strategic outreach and stakeholder engagement for the Coalition, which works with more than 20 governments to reframe debt as a tool for resilient and sustainable growth. Mr. Nahimana has a master’s degree in international economics and public policy from the University of Trier, and a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.