By Ayomide Otitoju
President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, is attending the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, where he is championing Africa’s development priorities and mobilising support for the replenishment of the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional lending arm.
Dr. Ould Tah’s agenda focuses on financing, resource mobilisation, climate action, African financial architecture, socio-economic fragility, regional integration, and peace and security. He is also addressing several high-level sideline events, where he is outlining his strategic vision anchored on four pillars: driving self-sufficiency and unlocking Africa’s potential; reforming Africa’s financial system; transforming population growth into a driver of youth and women employment; and advancing climate-resilient infrastructure and value creation.
Since arriving on Sunday, Dr. Ould Tah has met with global development leaders and heads of government. In talks with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, he emphasised the need for stronger institutional cooperation and highlighted Africa’s resilience amid current global challenges, urging development partners to work together toward a new African financial system.
During a meeting with UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita, he underscored the importance of maternal health, noting that “investing in mothers and girls today” is key to transforming Africa’s demographics into a dividend.
Talks with Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko centred on diversifying the country’s economy beyond diamonds and boosting infrastructure, particularly rail interconnectivity. Dr. Ould Tah stressed that developing natural resources could serve as a catalyst for job creation among African youth.
In a separate meeting, Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed his government’s readiness to “support the Bank’s mission in every way possible” and deepen bilateral cooperation.
