New Delhi: Geeta Batra, an Indian economist, has been named as the new Director at the Independent Evaluation Office of the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility (GEF), making her the first-ever woman from a developing country to hold the coveted post.
Batra, 57, is currently the Chief Evaluator & Deputy Director for Evaluation at the GEF’s Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), affiliated to the World Bank.
Her name was unanimously recommended for the coveted position at the 66th GEF Council Meeting held in Washington on February 9 and was announced last week.
“My top priorities will be to deliver sound evaluative evidence on the results and performance of the GEF, provide leadership to ensure that the GEF IEO stays at the forefront of environmental evaluation and strengthen the IEO teams and invest in skills,” Batra told IANS from Virginia, US.
She will also build partnerships with multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations and networks, and share knowledge of what works, where and why.
