Mbemba Abdulie Jabbi, Executive Director, United for Development, is a development professional with over 25 years of experience collaborating with communities, civil society organisations and development partners across The Gambia, Ireland, and Sudan. He has extensive experience in organisational leadership, programme and project management, strategic planning, governance, resource mobilisation, partnership development, and community development.Mbemba has held senior leadership positions in both national and international development organisations. From 2023 to 2025, he served as Country Director of United Purpose for The Gambia and Senegal, providing overall leadership for country operations, staff, programmes, and partnerships. His responsibilities included resource mobilisation, financial accountability, programme oversight, donor engagement, and organisational development. He also supported the registration of Self Help Africa in The Gambia and helped strengthen systems for financial management, compliance, and programme reporting.Prior to this, Mbemba was the Founder and Chief Executive Director of Jabbi Group Limited, a management consultancy and business operating between Ireland and The Gambia. Through Jabbi Group, he provided expertise in management, migration and development policy, diaspora engagement, and investment facilitation, while building partnerships between organisations and individuals in African and European countries.He also served for almost a decade as Executive Director of Africa Centre Ireland, where he provided strategic and operational leadership, strengthened organisational governance and financial sustainability, managed staff and programmes, developed funding proposals and maintained relationships with donors and partners. He coordinated and reported on European Commission-funded projects involving Ireland, Northern Ireland and Slovenia and represented the organisation at national and international forums.Mbemba began his professional development career in The Gambia, including work in microfinance, enterprise development, community development, and research. His early experience includes serving as a Regional Microfinance Savings and Credit Officer with the Gambia Women’s Finance Association, where he supported women’s access to savings and credit and enterprise development, and as an Enterprise Development Trainer with a few programmes. He also worked with GOAL in West Darfur, Sudan, supporting programme logistics, administration, procurement and coordination with humanitarian and development partners.Mbemba holds an MSc in Management from All Hallows College, Dublin City University; an MSc in Rural Development from University College Dublin; a Diploma in Community Development Practice from the National University of Ireland Galway; and a BA in Development Studies from Kimmage Development Studies Centre. His academic and professional interests include development management, migration and development, diaspora engagement, sustainable livelihoods, governance, and community-led development.As Executive Director of United for Development, Mbemba provides strategic and organisational leadership, drawing on more than two decades of experience to support locally led development, strengthen partnerships and mobilise resources for sustainable development in The Gambia.
