Ms. El-Mahdi is currently Managing Director of an independent economic consultancy firm based in Khartoum, Sudan. Prior to this, she served for two years (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 is being monitored by the International Monetary Fund. Her responsibilities also included re-engagement with international and regional financial organizations and negotiations of grants, loans and capacity building assistance from these multilateral organizations.

Prior to joining the Government, Ms. El-Mahdi worked as a consultant to the Economic Research Forum for Arab Countries, Iran and Turkey (ERF) based in Cairo, Egypt. During her term at ERF, she was responsible for the Forum’s program on Labor and Human Resource Development. Ms. El-Mahdi also worked at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, USA where she was Technical Assistant to the Executive Director for Africa I constituency.

Ms. El-Mahdi holds an M.Sc. Degree in Economics and Mathematical Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. She is currently a Senior Associate of the Economic Research Forum in Egypt and serves on the Board of Directors of the Future Trends Foundation for Strategic Studies and Dialogue and in the Board of Trustees of the Haggar Foundation in Sudan. Ms. El-Mahdi is also a member of the Advisory Panel for Eminent Women of the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as well as in the Advisory Panel of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Development.