Rania Al-Mashat

UN Under-Secretary-General & Executive Secretary of Economic and Social Commission of West Asia (UNESCWA), Egypt’s former Minister of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation and Minister of Tourism

Rania A. Al-Mashat was appointed UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on April 20, 2026. Al-Mashat is an international expert in economic diplomacy, bringing over 25 years of experience in macroeconomic policy; central banking and monetary policy frameworks, sustainable economic and social development; structural and institutional reform, development cooperation, development and climate finance, driving climate action and gender equality through international cooperation and partnerships. She served for eight consecutive years (2018-2026) as Minister across three key portfolios: Tourism (first female), International Cooperation, and Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation. Before her ministerial positions, Al-Mashat served as Sub-Governor for Monetary Policy at the Central Bank of Egypt (2005-2016), where she played a key role in modernizing the bank's monetary policy strategy. Her experience also includes working as Advisor to the Chief Economist and Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C (2016-2018, 2001-2005). She has been a board member and advisory member of several international alliances, international financial and development institutions. Al-Mashat has operated at the intersection of policy, finance, international and development cooperation and had to manage complex domestic and geopolitical dynamics that influence institutional strategy and execution, while safeguarding predictability and credibility; all while leading institutions during times of change. A strong advocate of multilateralism, she has a proven track record of advancing impactful, partnership-driven national and global initiatives and has advanced innovative approaches to international cooperation and development finance through country-led multi-stakeholder engagement frameworks. She holds a PhD and MA in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park, USA, and a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo and completed executive education programs in Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School and Oxford University's Saïd Business School. Her academic contributions, including publications with the IMF and the London School of Economics, reflect her commitment to bridging policy, research, and practice.