Abidjan, Cote, d’Ivoire – The President and Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has paid tribute to the pre-eminent role played by the institution’s staff in Africa’s development.
He was speaking on Monday, during the official launch of festivities to mark the Bank’s 60th anniversary in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
“As President of the African Development Bank, you matter to me. Regardless of your title or grade, you matter very much to the African Development Bank and you matter to Africa!”
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This was Dr. Adesina’s poignant and empathetic message to colleagues meeting at the Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, and in the Bank’s 40 country offices across Africa as well as in Tokyo, Japan, to celebrate six decades of commitment by the continent’s premier development finance institution.
“Today, as in the past, you are part of Africa’s transformation. The Bank’s entire ecosystem plays a part in each project. Over the last 60 years, different types of staff have brought genuine change to the continent. Our work over the last eight years has transformed the lives of 400 million people. I would like to thank you for your extraordinary efforts,” declared Adesina.
During the launch of the festivities, Adama Coulibaly, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Finance and the Budget, representing Nialé Kaba, Minister of Planning, the Economy and Development and the Bank’s governor for Côte d’Ivoire, expressed his government’s profound gratitude to Adesina for his leadership and significant achievements as the head of the institution.
“At a personal level, I would like to say that you are the heart and soul of this institution. Looking at the results achieved, the African Development Bank has come a long way in six decades. Your efforts have helped lift millions of Africans out of poverty. This 60th anniversary is an opportunity for us to celebrate how far we have come and together, face the challenges of building the Africa we want,” declared Coulibaly.
He reaffirmed the commitment of Côte d’Ivoire, which is home to the Bank’s headquarters, to supporting the institution in achieving its five operational priorities.
“Our partnership with the Bank Group is special. May the coming decades be full of new achievements and progress for staff, for the Bank and for the whole of our continent,” he commented.
Prior to the speeches by these key figures, the chair of the Bank’s Staff Council, Foster Ofosu paid a warm tribute to all employees, working both at its headquarters in Abidjan and in the various country offices.
“The Bank exists because you exist. Your dedication to building our Africa is flawless. Be proud of the work you have done,” said Ofusu to the hundreds of members of staff who attended the celebration.
