Ayat Soliman is the Regional Director for the World Bank Group’s Sustainable Development Department for the Middle East and North Africa (MNA) region. Ms. Soliman has over 25 years of experience working on global issues of sustainable development in the World Bank, United Nations and private sector, covering water, agriculture, environment, social and urban development, as well as cross cutting issues of climate change. In her current assignment, Ms. Soliman is in charge of setting the policy direction, fostering partnerships and ensuring the integrated delivery of country and regional programs of the Sustainable Development Practice Group (PG) in MNA, consistent with the regional/country strategies.

She oversees a team of over 100 staff and an active portfolio of $5.2 Billion in investments across the region in urban and social development, agriculture, water and environment sectors, as well as analytical work and multi-donor trust funds. Prior to her current assignment, Ms. Soliman was the Global Director in the Water Global Practice, and has worked in the Latin America and Caribbean and Africa regions of the Bank in different positions of technical and managerial leadership. She brings extensive experience working in fragile and conflict affected countries, underscoring the importance of sustainable resource use for peace and stability. She holds an MSc and BSc in Environmental and Mechanical Engineering from the American University in Cairo.