African leaders and dignitaries gathered on Tuesday to witness the swearing in of African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina.
President Adesina received goodwill messages from Presidents Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Alpha Conde of Guinea, George Weah of Liberia and Guinea Bissau’s Umaro Embalo.
Video: Highlights of the ceremony
[embedded content]
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, under whose government Adesina served as Agriculture Minister, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also wished President Adesina well.
Regional bodies joined the congratulations, including the African Union Commission, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), ECOWAS and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Niale Kaba, the Ivorian Minister of National Planning and outgoing Chairperson of the Bank’s Board of Governors, represented Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, who also reaffirmed his country’s strong bond with the Bank.
Video: President Adesina’s message
[embedded content]
Dr Adesina was praised for leading the Bank through a historic general capital increase of $115 billion dollars, approved by shareholders in October last year, as well as the fifteenth replenishment of the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s non-concessional window.
Adesina, who first took office as the 8th elected president of the Bank Group in 2015, was reelected by the Board of Governors with a 100 percent vote at the end of the Bank’s 2020 Annual Meetings on 27 August. For the first time, the meetings were held virtually to comply with guidelines and restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Video: Adesina takes the oath of office
[embedded content]
To watch the full ceremony, click here.
