Maria Sarraf is the Regional Manager for Environment, Natural Resources, Climate and the Blue Economy for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Her operational experience spans multiple sectors and regions. In West and Central Africa, as Manager from 2018 to 2023, Maria guided a large portfolio covering 21 countries, overseeing flagship initiatives such as the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Program, regional fisheries reforms, large-scale landscape and forest restoration efforts, and pioneering pollution and plastics reduction programs. Earlier in her career, Maria authored numerous publications on the cost of environmental degradation and played a key role in advancing climate resilience in South Asia. In Bangladesh, she led large investments in coastal protection, air quality, and climate-resilient infrastructure, while managing innovative multi-donor climate funds.