Magdalena Kouneva specialises in development finance and possesses a strong familiarity with the international architecture for sustainable development, with significant experience designing and implementing a wide range of financing products and innovative financial instruments. Between 2009-2018 she was the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s advisor for development finance in the finance and planning ministries in Rwanda, Malawi, and Papua New Guinea. In this position, she designed and managed UNDP’s support and strengthened capacities and systems for financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From 2019-2020, she supported the European Commission in introducing a new generation of EU guarantees for private sector operations in Africa and EU-neighbouring countries under the European Fund for Sustainable Development, implemented in partnership with European and international multilateral banks and development finance institutions.