Harun Onder is Deputy Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region at the World Bank. He has more than 15 years of experience in conducting research and policy dialogue across MENA, Europe and Central Asia, and East Africa, including complex development policy operations and technical assistance programs.

Dr. Onder has led three World Bank budget-support operations in Tanzania and Angola, which unlocked key reforms including the adoption of universal health insurance, digital innovations for agricultural resilience, fossil fuel subsidy removal, and private sector participation in electricity transmission. 

He has also led key programs on conflicts, including the World Bank's Analytical Roadmap for the conflict in Syria, which guided national and international efforts to manage the economic fallout of the war in the Mashreq Region. Additionally, he led the Bank’s technical assistance to the Government of Ukraine in designing a post-conflict recovery strategy for Eastern Ukraine.  

Dr. Onder's research focuses on development policy challenges, particularly the economic consequences of demographic change, natural resource shocks, and conflicts and forced displacement. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and policy reports, including The Toll of War, The Mobility of Displaced Syrians, and The Economics of Winning Hearts and Minds. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Florida International University.