African Development Bank Group Concludes 2024 Annual Meetings with Enhanced Mandate and Expanded Capital
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) recently wrapped up its 2024 Annual Meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, with a significant endorsement from its shareholders. The meetings, which took center stage from May 27 to 31, culminated in a formidable $117 billion callable capital increase, elevating the Bank’s total capital base to an impressive $318 billion. This financial uplift is set to fortify the Bank’s intervention capacities across the African continent, marking a new era of development and support.
“This is a major demonstration of the faith, of the confidence that our shareholders have in us,” highlighted AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina. He emphasized the shareholders’ trust in the Bank’s resource management and mobilization capabilities, which are now expected to significantly bolster the Bank’s liquidity and operational scope.
Under the banner “Africa’s Transformation, the African Development Bank Group, and the Reform of the Global Financial Architecture,” this year’s meetings focused on advocating for a fairer, more equitable global financial system, particularly in areas of climate finance, to better serve the needs of the most vulnerable countries.
The meetings saw Kenya stepping forward with a $20 million pledge to the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional window, making it the largest regional contributor. This act underscores the continent’s commitment to collective progress and sustainable development.
With over 10,000 participants, including African heads of state, government officials, and representatives from the academia, civil society, and development sectors, the event was a melting pot of ideas and discussions aimed at propelling Africa towards a brighter, more sustainable future. The meetings also kicked off the 60th-anniversary celebrations of the Bank, highlighting its long-standing commitment to the continent’s development.
The sidelines of the event were buzzing with knowledge exchange and dialogue, thanks to several side events led by both African and global experts. One of the highlights was the unveiling of the Bank’s flagship African Economic Outlook report, which painted a picture of resilient African economies navigating through challenging times. According to the report, the continent recorded a 3.7 percent GDP growth in 2024, with an optimistic projection of 4.3 percent growth in 2025.
Adesina stressed the importance of positioning Africa at the heart of the global financial narrative, advocating for the continent’s active participation in shaping a future that acknowledges and leverages its potential. “The growth of Africa will support the growth of the world with Africa at its heart,” he stated.
The assembly called for a renewed focus on improving Africa’s macroeconomic environments, enhancing domestic resource mobilization, and combating illicit financial flows among other priorities, to achieve structural transformation across the continent.
In response to long-standing challenges in global credit ratings, shareholders endorsed the formation of an African credit rating agency aimed at providing a more accurate assessment of the continent’s financial and economic landscape. Adesina clarified that the agency is not intended to replace global ratings agencies but to offer a complementary perspective that better understands and interprets Africa’s unique conditions.
The meeting concluded with a communal acknowledgment of the Bank’s strides in enhancing food and nutrition security, advocating for sustainable energy solutions, and promoting gender equality through various initiatives. The Bank’s Governors also called for increased private sector investment to fast-track Africa’s transformation and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
As the 2024 Nairobi meetings draw to a close, the baton was officially passed to Côte d’Ivoire, setting the stage for the African Development Bank’s next annual rendezvous in Abidjan slated for May 26 to 30, 2025. This handover symbolizes the continuity of the African development agenda and the collective pursuit of prosperity across the continent.
The year 2024 not only marked significant financial commitments and strategic directives from the African Development Bank Group but also heralded a year of celebration as the Bank gears up to commemorate its 60th anniversary in September, promising further milestones in its mission to spearhead Africa’s transformation.
