FfD4: Democratizing Finance

Dr. Nishan De Mel is one of Sri Lanka’s most respected and influential economists, with extensive academic, public policy and private sector experience.

He played an instrumental role in designing national policies on Health Sector Reform, Social Security and Tobacco & Alcohol. He also served as the Executive Director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies and the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. He sits on multiple private sector boards and consults for some of the region’s largest firms.

Nishan completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard University, and his graduate studies at Oxford University, where he was a Chevening Scholar.

Liliane Mouan currently serves as Human Rights and Sustainable Development Advisor at the East Africa Regional Office of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR-EARO). Before joining OHCHR-EARO, she held key positions within the UN and civil society, including Policy Specialist on Business and Human Rights at UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa, Senior Advisor on Corruption and Human Rights at Amnesty International, and International Economist and Expert on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at OHCHR’s Central Africa Regional Office. Liliane has also worked as a researcher and lecturer at leading UK universities, international NGOs, and research institutes. She holds a PhD in International Studies and Social Science and an LL.M in International Law and Human Rights from Coventry University, UK.

Jesselina Rana, a human rights lawyer, is the UN Advisor at CIVICUS’ New York Hub, where she leads research and analysis on international law and policy, advocates for meaningful civil society participation at the UN, and advises the UN and member states on global civic space issues. Previously, at Amnesty International Nepal, she played a key role in legal reforms on rape laws, citizenship laws, and acid violence legislation. Jesselina is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

Mr. Diafara SEYE holds a Master II in finance, he has more than 20 years of experience in public finance reforms. He is the Secretariat of the Joint Committee for Harmonization and Monitoring of Reforms with the Public Finance Group of Development Partners in Senegal. Mr. SEYE is a Procurement Specialist Manager, accredited by SETYM and the University of Quebec in 2015. He has been PEFA certified since 2019 during training in Dakar with the PEFA Secretariat and in 2025 in Washington. He was the focal point of the last PEFA assessment for the 2016/2017/2018 financial years, obtaining the PEFA Check. Mr. SEYE was a Government Auditor during the last EBO assessment. He is a member of GIFT and a member of the National Committee of the Open Government Program (PGO). He has been appointed Technical Advisor to the Minister of Finance since June 2024 in charge of budgetary support from the World Bank and the European Union. He was in charge of monitoring and synthesis for the Minister’s Office.

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Monsieur Diafara SEYE est titulaire d’un Master II option finances, il capitalise plus de 20 ans dans les réformes des finances publiques. Il assure le Secrétariat du Comité Conjoint d’Harmonisation et de Suivi des réformes avec le Groupe Finances publiques des Partenaires au Développement au Sénégal. Monsieur SEYE est Manager spécialiste en Passation des Marchés, accrédité SETYM et Université du Québec en 2015. Il est certifié PEFA depuis 2019 lors d’une formation à Dakar avec le Secrétariat PEFA et en 2025 à Washington. Il a été le point focal de la dernière évaluation PEFA des exercices 2016/2017/2018 avec obtention du PEFA Check, Monsieur SEYE a été Réviseur gouvernemental lors de la dernière évaluation EBO, il est membre du GIFT, et membre du Comité national du Programme pour le Gouvernement ouvert (PGO). Il est nommé Conseiller technique du Ministre des Finances depuis juin 2024 en charge des appuis budgétaires de la Banque mondiale et de l’Union européenne. Il a été en charge pour le suivi et synthèse pour le Cabinet du Ministre