AfDB to hold post COVID-19 annual meetings June 23-25 – Official

The 2021 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group would take place from June 23 to June 25, with the theme “Building Resilient Economies in Post Covid-19 Africa.”

A statement issued by the AfDB, on Wednesday, noted that the meetings provided a platform for the bank’s governors to share their experience in addressing the pandemic and the policy measures they are adopting to rebuild economies and livelihoods.

The meetings would be the 56th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the AfDB and the 47th Annual Meeting of the African Development Fund (AFD), the concessional arm of the bank.

The governors of the bank are drawn from the institution’s 54 African regional and 27 non-regional member countries.

The AfDB Group’s Secretary-General, Prof. Vincent Nmehielle, expressed delight over the convening of the meeting to assure the bank’s governors of its commitment to Africa’s sustainable development.

“In a year of unprecedented fiscal and social disruption arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, I am delighted that we can convene and assure Governors of the Bank’s Group of our continued commitment to Africa’s sustainable economic development and social progress,” Nmehielle said.

The 2021 meetings would comprise  statutory meetings of the group’s boards of governors, a high-level dialogue, and knowledge events.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s Minister of Finance and Chairperson of the boards of governors, is expected to preside over the meetings, according to the statement.

A key feature of the meetings would be the Governors’ Dialogue with the management of the bank group, led by its President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

No fewer than 3,000 participants are expected to attend the meetings online.

The participants include finance ministers, central bank governors, policy makers, representatives of civil society groups, heads of international organisations, business leaders from the bank group’s member states and journalists.

A press conference is expected to precede the meeting on 7 June 2021, led by the group’s Secretary-General, Vincent Nmehielle.