Ms. Abda is a Sudanese National with MSc. in Economics and Mathematical Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom. She is currently Managing Director of Unicons Consultancy Ltd. which is an independent economic consultancy firm based in Khartoum, Sudan. She is a member of the Board of Directors of several institutions and has served as a member of the Panel of Eminent Women of the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah. Ms. El-Mahdi is also a Senior Research Fellow of the Economic Research Forum for the Arab Countries, Iran and Turkey that is based in Cairo, Egypt. Ms. El-Mahdi previously served (2002- 2004) in the Government of the Republic of Sudan as State Minister at the Ministry of Finance and National Economy. In her capacity as State Minister she was responsible for international financial relations which entailed, among others, overseeing the implementation of Sudan’s Economic Reform and Structural Adjustment Program that was being monitored by the International Monetary Fund. Prior to joining the Government, Ms. El-Mahdi worked first as a Research Officer then as a consultant to the Economic Research Forum for Arab Countries, Iran and Turkey (ERF). Ms. El-Mahdi knowledge of international financial markets as well as the economies of African countries was enhanced when she worked with the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC, USA.