Au revoir, Abidjan. Hello, Accra: African Development Bank 2021 Annual Meetings to be held in Ghana

 AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

28-Aug-2020

Ghana will host the African Development Bank’s next Annual Meetings in May 2021, it was announced Thursday, at the end of the Group’s 2020 meetings.

The 2021 meetings will take place in the country’s capital city, Accra.

Côte d’Ivoire Planning Minister Niale Kaba, handed over the baton to Ghana, announcing that the Board of Governors would be chaired by Kenneth Ofori-Atta, Ghanaian Finance Minister, supported by the Governor from Austria as first Vice-President, and the Niger Governor as second Vice-President.

The 2020 edition of the Annual Meeting originally scheduled to be held physically in Côte d’Ivoire, home to the Bank’s headquarters was entirely virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time in the Bank’s history.

“It is with great honour and humility that I accept, on behalf of the Republic of Ghana, to chair the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group and host the Annual Meetings for 2021,” Ofori-Atta said in accepting the nomination.

“Let me thank (Kaba) for her incredible strength, fortitude and wisdom…The results today is a clear manifestation of what a great woman she is.”

Ofori-Atta outlined the challenges the continent faces due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic – contracting economies, risk of economic depression, 25 to 36 million Africans being pushed into extreme poverty, and the rising debt burden.

Yet, the Minister said, the Bank’s recent increase in capital, which rose from $93 billion to $208 billion in 2019, and the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA), gave room for hope.

“A one percent increase in Africa’s trade will result in $70 billion coming to us. So we must work hard to make sure that the days ahead are fulfilled for Africa,” Ofori-Atta said.

The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area deal, set to launch on January 1, 2021, will result in the world’s largest free trade area, with a potential market of 1.2 billion people and combined GDP of around $3 trillion across the 54 regional member states of the Bank. Ghana hosts the secretariat, which is located in Accra.

Ofori-Atta’s remarks were preceded by a brief video showcasing Ghana as a prime investment location and one of Africa’s growth success stories, alongside Ethiopia, Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya.

The Bank’s Annual Meetings represented a unique opportunity to discuss challenges and ways to advance the continent’s regional integration agenda. It also saw the re-election of current President Akinwumi Adesina for a second term.

“Thank you Côte d’Ivoire for handing over the baton in such a spectacular way. Ghana looks forward to hosting the Annual Meetings with much anticipation. There has never been a more opportune time to challenge the global financial infrastructure as we have it, with its inherent biases toward Africa,” Ofori-Atta said.

“I urge the AfDB to use this pandemic as an opportunity to innovate and enhance its governance to truly serve the African people. Congrats Mr. President Adesina and may we continue to make history.”

Highlights: Day 2 of the African Development Bank Group’s 2020 Annual Meetings

 AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

27-Aug-2020

The African Development Bank Group on Thursday climaxed its 2020 Annual Meetings with a decisive reelection of President Akinwumi Adesina for a second five-year term as the pan-African development body gears up to support the continent’s COVID-19 recovery efforts.

“It shows your demonstrated weight of support for my vision. It shows a very clear extra mandate from all shareholders to go and implement the vision. It shows that all voices were heard,” Adesina said.

Adesina was first elected in May 2015 at the 50th Annual Meetings held in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan.

Virtual Meetings

This year’s Annual Meetings were held virtually for the first time to comply with COVID-19 social-distancing guidelines.

The three-day meetings provided a platform for the Bank Group’s shareholders to evaluate what has been a productive but challenging year, mainly due to the massive socio-economic impacts occasioned by the pandemic. Ireland, the newest and the 81st shareholder, participated for the first time.

The delegates discussed ways that the Bank will support Africa to build better after COVID-19, as well as further strengthen the institution and deepen its governance and financial sustainability to enable it to deliver its mandate. They also deliberated on regional trade, integration, youth employment, climate, gender and debt sustainability, and how to focus on quality health infrastructure to build economic resilience for Africa.

Aside from its traditional support for its regional member countries, the Bank also launched a $10 billion COVID-19 Response Facility to support African states to cushion them against the devastating effects of the disease. The Bank also raised a record $3 billion in social bonds on the global market.

From Côte d’Ivoire to Ghana

As with the tradition of the Annual Meetings, this year’s closing session featured the formal transfer of authority from Nialé Kaba, Ivorian Minister for Planning and Development, the current Chairperson of the Board of Governors, to Ghanaian Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta, whose country will host next year’s Annual Meetings in May 2021.

In his acceptance speech, Ofori-Atta commended his predecessor for her “incredible strength, fortitude and wisdom” in successfully guiding the Bank in the challenging COVID-19 period.

He commended the unanimity displayed by the Governors during the meetings and their support for Africa’s future, which will require collective and strenuous efforts to help it build back from the loss inflicted by the pandemic.

“We urgently need, across African economies, liquidity, debt sustainability solutions and capital for recovery in order to truly emerge from this pandemic. We need tailored solutions to our problems (and) as Africa’s premier Bank, the AfDB is best suited to play this role in such a time as this,” he added.

He called on the Governors to support efforts to avert a potential debt default by member countries in the coming years.

Silver lining

There was also reason for celebration. Group President Adesina led a successful seventh General Capital Increase that saw the Bank’s general capital from $93 billion to $208 billion currently. This, Ofori-Atta said, places the Bank in a position to make a real impact.

He also recalled plans to begin the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area deal in January 2021 in what will become the world’s largest free trade area with a potential market of 1.2 billion people and combined GDP of around $3 trillion across the 54 regional member states of the Bank.

2020 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group: Final Communiqué

 AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

27-Aug-2020

FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE FIFTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB) AND THE FORTY-SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND (ADF)
HELD VIRTUALLY ON 26th – 27th AUGUST 2020

WE, the Governors, representing Member Countries of the African Development Bank and State Participants of the African Development Fund (the “Bank Group”), convened virtually for the 2020 Annual Meetings from 26th to 27th August 2020 chaired by Her Excellency Mme NIALÉ KABA, Minister of Planning and Development for Côte d’Ivoire and Chairperson of the Boards of Governors: 

1.    Take note of the enormous challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, including severe disruptions to the development trajectories of our Regional Member Countries (RMCs). In this connection, we commend the Bank Group for the adoption of the COVID-19 Rapid Response Facility (CRF) to provide a flexible range of exceptional support to lessen the severe economic and social impact of the pandemic on our RMCs. We call for the effective implementation of the CRF in accordance with the Bank's financial sustainability framework, to achieve its laudable objectives and the adaptation of the Bank Group’s interventions to address the medium to long-term challenges occasioned by the persistence of the pandemic. We also commend the Boards of Directors, Senior Management and Staff for the temporary measures adopted towards ensuring the continuity of Bank Group operations despite the disruptions;

2.    Welcome the Bank Group’s sustained attention to ensure the continued financial strength of the institution by updating its financial sustainability framework, and encourage further steps to establish buffers, manage lending levels, and adopt automatic actions to protect capital adequacy thresholds and ratios during the pandemic;

3.    Given the highly uncertain outlook related to the pandemic, we call on the Bank Group to continue implementing its programmes with particular attention to addressing the financial and operational risks that may arise, in order to safeguard its ability to deliver on its development mandate in the most effective manner;

4.    Note the statements made at the Governors’ Dialogue, in reference to the far-reaching reform programme undertaken by the Bank Group within the framework of the Seventh General Capital Increase (GCI-VII) and the Fifteenth Replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-15). While we commend the steps taken to date to implement the reform programme, we urge the Bank Group to redouble efforts to fully and timely deliver on the various commitments, with a view to sharpening its strategic focus, enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness while ensuring financial sustainability, strengthening its capacity to deliver results and at scale, and positioning it to achieve impact as a trusted development partner on the continent. We exhort the Boards of Directors, President, Senior Management and Staff to work constructively and proactively on the implementation of this programme;

5.    Acknowledge the continued relevance of the High 5 priority areas with an emphasis on selectivity to help bridge the infrastructure finance gap in areas where the Bank Group has comparative advantages such as transport, telecommunications, agriculture, energy and digital economy. We recognise the critical role of quality healthcare infrastructure for the African continent. In this regard, the Bank should further articulate how to develop its role in this area, taking into account other development partners' areas of expertise and its internal capacity;

6.    Call on the Bank Group to strengthen its internal governance, compliance, control and accountability functions to align with best practices of peer institutions. In this connection and in a spirit of unity and collaboration, we authorize the establishment of an ad-hoc Committee of the Board of Governors to oversee a review of the Bank’s ethics and complaints handling governing framework. This review will consider and update the Whistle Blowing and Complaints Handling Policy, the Code of Conduct for Elected Officers, the Terms of Reference for the Ethics Committee, and any other relevant rules to strengthen governance of the Bank Group, ensure the highest levels of accountability, credibility, integrity and promote transparency and independence. We agreed to reconvene on this matter during the next Annual Meetings to assess the findings and recommendations of the review;

7.    Encourage the Bank Group to reinforce its focus on its areas of comparative advantage relative to other multilateral development banks, within the global development landscape while exploring areas of synergies and coordinate in other areas with other development partners for accelerating the implementation of its High 5 priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa as well as the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063. To this end, we urge the Bank Group to deepen its collaboration with the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to fast-track Africa’s integration and economic and social transformation particularly in view of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which has the potential to increase growth, enhance competitiveness, improve the business climate, as well as ensure greater investment and development of regional and continental global value chains;

8.    Encourage the Bank Group to step up its support to RMCs to enhance capacity in quality infrastructure development, domestic resource mobilization, quality job creation, support for women and youth empowerment, public financial management, debt management and transparency, private sector development, combating corruption, stemming the tide of illicit finance, addressing the challenges associated with climate change, the adoption of approaches that ensure energy security, expand access to affordable and reliable energy services and stimulate low-carbon development in line with national climate-related action plans, such as, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and a sustained focus on aligning its investments with the principles set out in international climate agreements, including principally the Paris Agreement, based on the joint MDB framework adopted at COP24 and the continued use of renewable energy towards achieving inclusive economic growth;

9.    Encourage sustained investments in the private sector in RMCs. In this regard, we call on the Bank Group to increase the focus of its support to sectorial policy and regulatory reforms with the aim of fostering a business-friendly environment; and leveraging significant new investment commitments for projects in Africa, including through the Africa Investment Forum;

10.    Call on the Bank Group to strengthen its effectiveness to respond to the unique needs of RMCs that may be in fragile and conflict situations as well as small, middle income and island states, including advocating for and incentivizing prudent macroeconomic policy frameworks, and providing sound advice on debt sustainability in coordination with the IMF and World Bank. We also encourage the Bank Group to identify ways to support the G20 initiative on the suspension of debt servicing obligations for low income countries and to deploy more human resources to States in fragile situations; 

11.    Call for increased capacity and resources to strengthen implementation of the Bank Group’s social and environmental safeguards, for updating the Integrated Safeguards System, and for continued improvements in the accountability mechanism so that aggrieved parties have a voice and can seek redress;

12.    Encourage a stronger commitment to gender equality in Bank Group operations in order to enhance human progress and structural transformation in RMCs. In this regard, we commend the Bank Group for the partnerships it is forging to increase women’s economic empowerment and access to finance, including through the Affirmative Finance Facility for Women in Africa (AFAWA) to be implemented in the next few months;

13.    Call on the Bank Group to increase efforts towards facilitating more and better opportunities for the youth to help stem migration from the continent. Accordingly, invite the Bank to better integrate the impact on employment, especially on young people, as a selection criterion for operations financed by the Bank;

14.    Commend the Boards of Directors, Management and staff of the Bank Group for the operational and financial performance in 2019 and welcome the unqualified opinion of the Bank Group’s external auditors on the financial statements ending 31 December 2019 and their confirmation of the effectiveness of the internal controls of the Bank Group;

15.    We re-elected Dr. Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as President of the Bank Group for the next five years commencing 1 September 2020. We congratulate him on his re-election, commit to support him and wish him success in driving the work of the Bank Group;

16.    Look forward to the next Annual Meetings scheduled for 24 to 28 May 2021, in Accra, Ghana.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina re-elected unanimously as President of the African Development Bank Group

 AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

27-Aug-2020

Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina has been re-elected to serve a second five-year term as President of the African Development Bank Group on Thursday, August 27, 2020 by the Board of Governors of the Bank.

A globally renowned development economist and a World Food Prize Laureate and Sunhak Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. Adesina has distinguished himself in driving a bold agenda to reform the Bank and accelerate Africa’s development. He was first elected as President of the Bank on May 28, 2015.

As newly re-elected President, Dr Adesina, a former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, will begin his new term on September 1, 2020.

The election result, which gave him a hundred percent of votes of all regional and non-regional members of the Bank, was announced by the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Bank, Mrs. Niale Kaba, Minister of National Planning of Côte d’Ivoire.

The election took place on the final day of the 2020 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, which was held virtually for the first time in the Bank’s history.

Minister Niale Kaba, said, "I am delighted that the Board of Governors have re-elected Dr. Adesina for a second term in office as President. As shareholders, we strongly support the Bank and will give him all the necessary support to carry forward and implement his compelling vision for the Bank over the next five years.”

Adesina's first term focused on the bold new agenda for the Bank Group based on five development priorities known as the High 5s: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. 

During Adesina’s first term, the Bank achieved impactful results on the lives of 335 million Africans, including: 18 million people with access to electricity; 141 million people benefiting from improved agricultural technologies for food security; 15 million people benefiting from access to finance from private investments; 101 million people provided with access to improved transport; and 60 million people gaining access to water and sanitation.

The Bank has maintained its AAA-ratings by all major global credit rating agencies for five years in a row. The Board of Governors of the Bank Group approved a 125% increase in the General Capital of the Bank, raising its capital from $93 billion to $208 billion, the largest in the history of the Bank.

 

The African Development Fund received a $7.6 billion pledge from donors, a 32% increase, for support to low-income countries and fragile states. The Bank was ranked the 4th most transparent institution globally by Publish What You Fund, bolstering its strong governance credentials for transparency and accountability.

Under Adesina’s leadership, the African Development Bank’s Board of Directors approved a $10 billion facility to support African countries to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bank also launched a $3 billion COVID-19 social bond on the global capital markets, the highest US dollar denominated social bond ever in world history, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, Luxembourg Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.

Adesina said, “I am deeply grateful for the collective trust, strong confidence and support of our shareholders for electing me for a second term as President. It is yet another call for selfless service to Africa and the African Development Bank, to which I will passionately devote myself.”

The African Development Bank is Africa’s premier development finance institution, comprising 54 regional and 27 non-regional member countries.

“The future beckons us for a more developed Africa and a much stronger and resilient African Development Bank Group. We will build on the strong foundations of success in the past five years, while further strengthening the institution, for greater effectiveness and impacts,” Adesina said.

African Development Bank 2020 Annual Meetings: Governors’ Dialogue: a key moment of the meetings

 AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

27-Aug-2020

On the first day of the African Development Bank’s 2020 Annual Meetings, President Akinwumi Adesina on Wednesday 26 August 2020, outlined the Bank’s successes and challenges.

During a virtual dialogue with the Governors of the Bank’s 81 member countries, Adesina highlighted the Bank’s efforts to ensure that African countries were cushioned against the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, the Bank’s Board of Directors approved a COVID-19 Response Facility of up to $10 billion.

“The key for us is looking at economic resilience, not just economic growth,” he said.

Adesina also recalled the progress made since the historic $115 billion General Capital Increase, approved by the Bank’s shareholders at the end of October last year.

His address was part of a three-hour dialogue, closed-door discussion around the General Capital Increase commitments and three key areas: maximizing operational impact, strengthening institutional capacity and securing long-term financial sustainability.

The dialogue was moderated by Zeinab Badawi, a Sudanese-British television and radio journalist, who is a regular presenter of BBC programmes such as Global Questions and Hard Talk.  Former Bank Senior Vice President Charles Boamah, who retired in March this year, made a guest appearance to provide a sum up of the discussion.

For the first time in its history, the Bank’s Annual Meetings are being held virtually to comply with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

One of the key items on the agenda will be the election of the Bank President. Adesina is standing unopposed for re-election after his first five-year term.

The Annual Meetings started on Tuesday and end on Thursday.

Curtain falls on the African Development Bank 2020 Annual Meetings as Governors endorse President Adesina’s bold development program

 AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

Adesina: "I am deeply grateful for the collective trust, strong confidence and support of our shareholders.”

27-Aug-2020

Newly reelected African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina voiced great optimism about Africa’s future as the institution closed its 55th Annual meetings. The Bank’s Board of Governors today unanimously voted for a second five-year term for Adesina, giving him a mandate to renew a focus on the institution’s priorities, including closer continental integration, boosting renewable energy sources and developing infrastructure.  

The election of the president was the centerpiece of the two-day meetings, held virtually for the first time in the Bank’s history amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic formed a backdrop that underscored the Bank’s critical leadership role in assisting African countries to marshal responses to its health and economic impacts. A wider commitment to grow Africa’s resilience by building back its economies post-pandemic with an eye to mitigating climate change and assuring more equitable growth, is also an important agenda for the Bank.

In a 16-point communique, Governors lauded the Bank’s swift response to the pandemic, endorsed its strategic priorities, and urged greater emphasis on building out primary healthcare infrastructure and supporting member countries meet their Paris Agreement commitments.  

 “We urge the Bank Group to deepen its collaboration with the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to fast-track Africa’s integration and economic and social transformation particularly in view of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which has the potential to increase growth, enhance competitiveness, improve the business climate, as well as ensure greater investment and development of regional and continental global value chains,” the communique stated.  

In closing remarks, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Niale Kaba, the Ivorian Minister of National Planning, noted the Governors achieved consensus.

“I note with satisfaction that we were able together to face up to all of these challenges. Let me seize this opportunity to tell you this was the outcome of collective work and I was able to benefit from the wise advice of many regional and non-regional governors for us to be able to reach a common ground.”

Kaba also observed that the meeting’s virtual format had deprived Cote d’Ivoire of the opportunity to showcase its beauty to visitors. The Minister, whose term as Chairperson has come to an end, commended Bank Secretary General Vincent Nhemielle for his partnership and dynamism in organizing the meetings virtually.

She also congratulated Adesina on his re-election. He is the Bank’s eighth elected president and the first Nigerian to hold the post.

 “I am deeply grateful for the collective trust, strong confidence and support of our shareholders for electing me for a second term as President,” Adesina said. “It is yet another call for selfless service to Africa and the African Development Bank, to which I will passionately devote myself. “I look forward to working closely with each and every one of you for the urgent and difficult task of supporting Africa to build back  better, smarter and boldly from the COVID-19 pandemic.”  

Adesina's first term focused on the High 5 priorities: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. 

Bank Governors are typically the finance and economy ministers or Central Bank Governors of the 54 African regional member countries and 27 non-regional member countries. 

Ghana’s Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta assumed the Chairmanship of the Board of Governors from Niale. “It is with great honor and humility that I accept on behalf of the Republic of Ghana  to chair the Board of Governors and host the Annual Meetings for 2021,”  Ofori-Atta said.

The 2021 Annual meetings will be held next May in Accra, Ghana.    

Highlights: Day 1 of the African Development Bank’s 2020 Annual Meeting

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

Video presentations showcased COVID-19 pandemic and the African Development Bank’s efforts to cushion member countries against its impacts

Côte d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara and President Adesina commend close and strong ties between the host country and the African Development Bank

27-Aug-2020

The opening day of the African Development Bank’s 2020 55th Annual meeting showcased the strong relationship between Africa’s pre-eminent financial institution and its host country, Côte d’Ivoire. The meeting, held virtually for the first time to comply with COVID-19 pandemic social-distancing guidelines, caps a productive but ultimately challenging year for the institution and the countries it serves.   

"This is an opportunity for me to salute the African Development Bank, its president and its board of Directors for the unwavering support expressed at these difficult times to African states. Indeed, the Bank's COVID-19 response has made it possible to finance and support African countries in the rapid implementation of plans to fight the pandemic, " said the President of Cote d’Ivoire Alassane Ouattara.

The ongoing pandemic and its twin health and economic challenges form a prominent backdrop to the meetings, which include a Governors' Dialogue and the election of the Bank’s president for the next five years.  

The Chairman of the Bank’s Board of Governors, Niale Kaba, Ivorian minister for Planning and Development acknowledged the exceptional circumstances in her opening statement.  “I would like to commend the flexibility of the AfDB Board of Governors, which has exceptionally authorized the holding of these Annual Meetings via videoconferencing.”

During Kaba’s tenure as Chairperson of the Board of governors, which began at the 2019 Annual Meetings, the Bank notched some key successes. In October 2019, the Board approved a seventh general capital increase that increased the Bank's capital base to $208 billion and which Kaba noted,  “not only allows the Bank to maintain its excellent AAA rating, but also to further support the development efforts of African countries.”

In his own remarks, President Adesina issued a call to seize the opportunity presented by the crisis to build back smartly and boldly. In doing so, he said, the Bank will lean heavily on its stakeholders. “Africa needs a strong and stable African Development Bank to support it through this pandemic and help its economies rebound for better, healthier lives and livelihoods for its people. And the African Development Bank needs you — our shareholders — as you always have been: united and strong.”

Adesina was candid in acknowledging the enormity of the challenge ahead even as he laid out how the Bank had demonstrated its responsiveness. “The Bank launched a $10 billion COVID-19 Response Facility (CRF) to support African countries. We launched a $3 billion social bond on the global market - the largest US dollar denominated social bond ever in world history. These actions reflect our ambition, our unshaken commitment and unyielding responsibility to support, stabilize and strengthen African economies.” 

Adesina, the first Nigerian to hold the post of Bank president, is up for reelection. “At this Annual Meetings, I offer myself to you, our Governors, for your consideration for election for a second term, as President. I do so, with humility. I do so with a strong sense of duty and commitment and a call to serve Africa and our Bank, selflessly, to the very best of my God-given abilities.” 

The president expressed his readiness for the vital work ahead.  “We will have no rest. The price of good work is more work. We have our work cut out for us —now more than ever — to help Africa rebound; and to get back on a stronger pathway of economic growth and resilience.”  

President Ouattara offered parting advice for the governors as they prepare to discuss general capital increase commitments.  “I encourage you to be both ambitious and realistic. Ambitious, for the continent, because African populations have high expectations for projects and programs that are often in search of financing. Realistic, to take into account the specificities of our Member States, so that no country wishing to participate in this increase is left out.”

Day two of the meeting, on Aug 27, will include the election of the president as well as closed discussion among the Board of governors.   

Sierra Leone: $13.5 million project to assist Ebola-hit communities kicks off

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

The African Development Bank and the government of Sierra Leone have launched a project to support 3,000 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) survivors and orphans, and other vulnerable sectors of society in the country.

Through the Post Ebola Recovery Social Investment Fund Project (PERSIF), the Bank is providing $13.5 million in grants from the African Development Fund and the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative Trust Fund. Affected communities have been further hit by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic devastation caused by resulting lockdowns.

The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone took a heavy toll on communities, education, health care infrastructure and basic social services, said Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio at the official project launch, held on 30 July 2020.

“Vulnerable populations including orphans, elderly people, physically challenged, the sick, women and children were significantly affected,” President Bio added. “It is my pleasure to thank the Africa Development Bank for providing this grant with an extra care of hands.”

The support will target youth, women, men, children, people with disabilities and the elderly. Health workers, community volunteers and social protection officers will also benefit from the scheme as well as 2,000 micro and small entrepreneurs including cross-border traders.

A representative of the Ebola survivors, Randa Sesay, also thanked the Bank for providing assistance. “The project will ensure that,  as survivors, we have the right access to basic social services. We are optimistic that it will benefit and improve our lives, especially women and children.”

Sierra Leone’s Minister Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa offered assurances that the government would effectively support project implementation. “This project will go a long way to support citizens abandoned for years. We are ready to provide counterpart financing,” he added.

The Bank’s Country Manager for Sierra Leone, Dr. Peninah Kariuki, describing the project said, “the objective is to enhance resilience in communities that bore the brunt of Ebola”. She also noted that “ today’s COVID-19 crisis only poses further challenges. The Bank stands with you as you address the economic, health and social challenges that have emanated from the pandemic.”

The African Development Bank and partners’ digital Coding For Employment program is ensuring African youth are competitive in the global digital economy

 AfDB NEWS&  EVENTS

With the passing of UN International Youth Day this week, we take a look at a bold initiative for Africa’s youth bulge

14-Aug-2020

Martha Oyanta Daniel- co-founder of Eagles Advocacy

Nigerian Odetola Olashile Oluwapelumi has filled out her share of job applications. The young, new mother graduated with a Communication and Language degree, but says finding work that put her education to use was a struggle.

“I’ve gone for different [job] interviews, but in the long run – they just find something to disqualify you and that’s it,” Oluwapelumi says.

Then, the 31-year old heard about a digital skills training program through her church, that offers youth demand-driven internet and communications technology skills (ICT), then links them to ICT and ICT-related job opportunities. The African Development Bank and Microsoft’s Coding for Employment was set up to be available online, on mobile devices, as well as in centers of excellence classrooms in Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire – and in Nigeria.

Oluwapelumi signed up for the Coding for Employment platform, completing a selection of free technical courses such as web development, design, data science and digital marketing. Soon after, she says, she got hired to do remote work for an online image company.

“The training has been beneficial to me,” Oluwapelumi says. “As a nursing mother…[being] able to work online from home…has helped me to be able to support the family.”

Oluwapelumi is one of more than 23,000 youth who have completed Coding For Employment’s month-long courses since its launch in 2018. The initiative is the Bank’s response to global digital transformation moving at such a fast pace that disadvantaged communities, including African unemployed youth, are at high risk of exclusion and marginalization. And the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t deterring the program from its mission: to help bridge the ICT skills gap among unemployed youth and help them be innovators in the global digital economy.

“The impact of COVID-19 is challenging the convention of a 9-to-5 office job – pushing the world to adapt to remote work driven by digital communication,” says Martha Phiri, Director of the Bank’s Human Capital Department. “Digital skills offered through Coding 4 Employment are equipping African youth with the tools to be more attractive job candidates, and the initiative is part of the solution helping African nations build back better, post-pandemic,” she added.

COVID-related school closures, national lockdowns and restriction of movement  led Coding for Employment to adapt its in-person training classes to an online eLearning platform. The program collaborated with Microsoft to train online class facilitators. Last week, Coding for Employment celebrated its first group students in Nigeria who completed the online program with a virtual graduation ceremony.

 

 

Thirty one-year-old Martha Oyanta Daniel and 26-year-old Esther Ayuba graduated from the Coding for Employment program in northern Nigeria, at a center of excellence at Gombe State University in 2019. After completing the course, Daniel and Ayuba started up an NGO called Eagles Advocacy. The NGO teaches young girls digital skills in northern Nigeria, a region often depicted in news reports as fighting off Boko Haram insurgencies and where traditions based on interpretations of religion discourage women and girls from taking on formal education or work. Despite this environment. Eagles Advocacy has put 500 girls in Gombe state through the digital skills program. Daniel and Ayuba have also teamed up with local, private sector partners and NGOs with a goal of training 1,000 girls in their community.

 

 

African Development Bank Group to hold virtual Annual Meetings 25-27 August, 2020

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06-Aug-2020

The African Development Bank Group will hold its 2020 Annual Meetings virtually, from 25-27 August, 2020. These will comprise statutory meetings of the Board of Governors. A major agenda item of this year's Annual Meetings is the election of a president.

 

African Development Bank Group to hold virtual Annual Meetings 25-27 August, 2020

32Shares

 17

06-Aug-2020

The African Development Bank Group will hold its 2020 Annual Meetings virtually, from 25-27 August, 2020. These will comprise statutory meetings of the Board of Governors. A major agenda item of this year's Annual Meetings is the election of a president.