KINSHASA, May 14 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo has named Deogratias Mutombo Nyembo as the new governor of the central African nation's central bank, authorities said on Tuesday.
The former director of banking operations at the Central Bank will replace Jean Claude Masangu, who has presided over the institution since 1997.
"He's an old director at the bank. He's one of the most experienced (economists) in the country and he worked closely with Masangu," government spokesman Lambert Mende told Reuters after president Joseph Kabila signed off on the decision.
Masangu guided Congo's economy through turbulent times, including a devastating war which left the country in ruins and has overseen a period of relative macroeconomic stability with growth of around 7 percent in 2012.
Nonetheless, the mineral rich central African nation is ranked second from last in the U.N.'s development index and suffers from rampant poverty and corruption. (Reporting by Jonny Hogg; Editing by Bate Felix)
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