Akinwumi A. Adesina has been re-elected to serve a second five year term as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and will assume duty on Tuesday, September 1, 2020.
The Board of Governors of the bank re-elected him on Thursday after the former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture was first elected on May 28, 2015.
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, a statement by the bank’s Acting Director, Communication and External Relations Department, Nafissatou Diouf, said.
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, Mrs. Niale Kaba, Minister of National Planning of Côte d’Ivoire.
The election was held on the final day of the 2020 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, which was held virtually for the first time.
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.”
Commenting, 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.”
AfDB is Africa’s premier development finance institution, comprising 54 regional and 27 non-regional member countries.
