“Finding innovative ways to increase development and climate financing and maximizing its impact are at the heart of today’s global agenda,” said Federica Diamanti, a top-level development finance expert who today joins as Associate Vice-President the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a UN specialized agency and international financial institution.
“As the world confronts increasingly complex challenges—from devastating climate change to deep rooted fragility—the risk of reversing decades of progress continues to mount,” said Diamanti on her first day. “Now, more than ever, we share a collective responsibility to reshape the global financial architecture so it can better meet the unique needs of developing countries and build a brighter future for all. With its central role on agricultural development, IFAD is uniquely positioned to drive meaningful impact, focusing on rural poverty, empowering small-scale farmers and fostering resilience to climate change. I am deeply honoured to join this unique institution at such a pivotal moment, as its mission continues to be more relevant than ever.”
Diamanti takes up her position at a time when multilateral efforts are increasingly focused on reforming the global financial architecture to better address development and global challenges amid increasing geopolitical uncertainty, climate change, inequality, and poverty. Today, the world’s poorest countries are finding themselves spending a larger portion of their revenues on debt repayment than they have in decades.
In her role at IFAD, Diamanti is responsible for the Fund’s public and political advocacy, including through global policy engagement, partnership building and strategic communications. She also oversees resource mobilization and IFAD’s Replenishment consultation, the process through which the Fund agrees with Members on priorities and targets for each three-year funding period. Since 1978, IFAD has provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund projects in developing countries.
Diamanti, an Italian national, is an expert in international finance and multilateral diplomacy, with extensive experience in key forums such as the G7, G20, and several Multilateral Development Banks and concessional funds. Before joining IFAD, she was Director of Multilateral Banks and Funds at the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. In the past, Diamanti also served as Executive Director for Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands at the African Development Bank. She is recognized for her central role in the design and launch of the G20 Capital Adequacy Framework, which has helped unlock a significant increase in financing for developing countries.
