Darrell Joins ODI Fellowship/Bank Of Somaliland
Bermudian economist Ywione Darrell has been selected for the 2026-2028 ODI Fellowship Scheme and has joined the Bank of Somaliland’s Monetary Policy and Research team for a two-year placement.
A spokesperson said, “A young Bermudian economist and Co-Chief Editor of the Bermuda Journal of Academic Research has taken up a place on one of the most competitive early-career programmes in international development, and is now working inside the Bank of Somaliland.
“Ywione Darrell has been awarded a place on the ODI Fellowship Scheme for 2026 to 2028 and has joined the Monetary Policy and Research team at the Bank of Somaliland, where he will spend the next two years.
“The ODI Fellowship Scheme, run by the London-based global affairs think tank ODI, was established in 1963. It places early-career economists and statisticians directly into government institutions in low- and middle-income countries, where they work as local civil servants for two years.
“More than 1,300 Fellows have taken part over six decades, with postings ranging from the Caribbean to sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Places are awarded after a multi-stage selection process that includes a written application, a panel interview and a group assessment.”
Ywione Darrell said: “I am honoured to have been selected, and grateful to everyone who has supported me. I am humbled by the opportunity to work within a central bank in this unique development context, alongside local experts.”
A spokesperson added, “At the Bank of Somaliland, Ywione supports the bank’s monetary policy and research functions. ODI Fellows are typically expected to support capacity development within their host institutions.”
“Small open economies with limited buffers are often where good economic analysis matters most,” Ywione Darrell said.
“My interest in small open economies arises from my lived experience in Bermuda and observing how we struggled through the Global Financial Crisis and its aftermath. I understand that good economic policymaking requires both fiscal and institutional capacity, and I think Bermudians have more to offer the wider development conversation than we may assume. I hope to contribute by leaning on my Somalilander colleagues’ expertise and learning how best to apply myself within their unique context.”
A spokesperson added, “Over the past year Ywione has worked as a consultant in macroeconomics, carrying out projects in economic forecasting and research on income inequality.
“Ywione holds a Master of Science in Economics for Development from the University of Oxford, awarded with Merit, with a Distinction for the dissertation. That dissertation examined whether Bermuda shows signs of “Dutch disease”, where a dominant exporting sector outpaces other parts of the economy. Specifically, Ywione focused on the implications of Bermuda’s expanding international business sector and how the benefits of its growth may be concentrated among university-educated workers.
“More information on the ODI Fellowship Scheme is available at odi.org.”
Congratulations, Ywione Darrell