United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed the appointment of Egypt’s Rania A. Al-Mashat as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) today. Ms Al-Mashat takes over the role from Rola Dashti of Kuwait. The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude to Ms Dashti for her dedicated service to the organisation. Mourad Wahba will continue as the Acting Executive Secretary until Ms Al-Mashat officially starts her new duties.
The new appointee is a seasoned expert in economic diplomacy. She brings more than 25 years of professional experience to the United Nations. Her background covers macroeconomic policy, central banking and sustainable development. She also has extensive knowledge of structural reform and climate finance. Ms Al-Mashat has spent eight years as a minister in Egypt between 2018 and 2026. During this time she managed three different portfolios. These included Tourism, where she was the first woman to hold the post, as well as International Cooperation and Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation.
Before her time in the Egyptian cabinet, Ms Al-Mashat worked as the Sub-Governor for Monetary Policy at the Central Bank of Egypt from 2005 to 2016. She was a central figure in updating the bank’s strategy for monetary policy. Her international career also includes two terms at the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C. She served as an advisor to the Chief Economist and as a Senior Economist from 2001 to 2005 and again from 2016 to 2018.
Ms Al-Mashat has held several board and advisory positions with major global institutions. These include the World Bank Group and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She has also worked with the African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank. Her career has focused on the link between finance and international development. She is known for managing difficult geopolitical situations while keeping institutional strategies stable.
The new Executive Secretary holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland. She also earned a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo. Her education includes leadership programmes at Harvard Kennedy School and Oxford University. She speaks Arabic and English fluently and has a working knowledge of French.
