In Memoriam: A Tribute to Wabel Abdallah, 1953-2014

A national of Lebanon, the late IMF staffer spent over 20 years at the Fund, and had been the Resident Representative in Afghanistan for the past five years.

The IMF community mourns Wabel. “This is tragic news, and we at the Fund are all devastated,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, adding that “Wabel embodied the true spirit of international public service, he devoted his life to helping others, and he was especially committed to helping the people of Afghanistan to rebuild their country.”

Paul Ross, the IMF's mission chief for Afghanistan, remembered Wabel as a "wonderful, kind man who was always there for his family, his colleagues, and the populations of the countries he was working on."

20 other people also lost their lives in the tragic incident.

Versatile career

Wabel’s career at the IMF began in 1993. Like most economists at the Fund, he worked in several departments, including the Middle East and Central Asia Department, the Statistics Department, and the Human Resources Department. He was appointed as the Fund’s Resident Representative in Afghanistan in June 2008.

Before coming to the IMF, Wabel had rich and varied experiences, first serving as a senior lecturer at Columbia University, an economic advisor to Lebanon’s mission to the United Nations, and as an economic advisor to the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon.

Wabel studied economics, receiving his first degree from the University of Paris I in 1978 and a Masters degree from London School of Economics in 1981. He went on to complete a Masters of Philosophy in Economics from Columbia University in 1985, before becoming a Ph.D. candidate at the same university in 1993.

Life in Afghanistan

As the IMF’s Resident Representative in Afghanistan, Wabel engaged closely and productively with country officials, offering economic policy advice and coordinating technical assistance. In his capacity, he also interacted with other donors as well as representatives of civil society and media. He had a firm grasp of the economic situation and the perspectives, concerns, and political economy considerations of the authorities and donors. Thus, he was the go-to person in Kabul for both locals and internationals interested in the economy.

“Wabel was greatly dedicated to the work of the Fund on Afghanistan. His ability to build trust with the government was remarkable,” said Adnan Mazarei, Deputy Director of the IMF’s Middle East Department.

“He wasn't only a highly...