Christel Alvergne, a French national, joined UNCDF in 2008, and is now the Regional coordinator for West and central Africa.

She has worked for 20 years on local development and fiscal decentralization issues. In the 1990s, she worked for the agency of the French Prime Minister (DATAR) to develop innovative approaches to decentralization such as time management offices, local sport policies and innovative rural development plans.

She worked for the Municipal Development Programme for West Africa providing advice and guidance to local governments associations during the 90’s. 

Christel holds a PhD in Economics (Geographical economics) and she is a Graduate in Political Science from the University of Aix-en-Provence (France). She has spent many years as a researcher and professor on Urban and Regional Planning in academic institutions throughout France, Canada, Senegal and Egypt.