Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has congratulated the President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, who has been at the helm of the financial institution for 10 years, for his exceptional leadership.
The President commended Dr Adesina for propelling the bank as a global champion in inclusive green growth, food security, climate-smart infrastructure, and energy access for millions of Africans.
In his congratulatory message, President Mnangagwa celebrated the strides made by the African Development Bank towards continental development.
“In his 10 years of astute and steadfast service to our continent and the peoples of Africa, Dr. Adesina has made us shift our perspectives towards the meaning of development finance. He reignited among us a new sense of hope and confidence in what we can achieve as an African people, leveraging on our resources.
“He has grown our premier development finance institution into a global award-winning brand. Resultantly, the bank has become a reputable development finance partner of choice. Under his leadership, the African Development Bank Group has emerged as a global champion of inclusive green growth, food security, climate-smart infrastructure, energy access for millions of Africans, and financial innovation.
“Having known and interacted with Dr Adesina for many years, I applaud the numerous milestones he has achieved during his illustrious career. He stands tall as one of the iconic and true sons of Africa, always advancing Africa’s cause and interests,” the President said.
As a champion to Zimbabwe’s Debt Resolution Process, President Mnangagwa said his role has been instrumental in propelling the country’s engagement and re-engagement drive.
“In 2022, I was pleased to appoint Dr Adesina as the official champion of the Zimbabwe area’s clearance and debt resolution process. He has undertaken this odious task on behalf of my administration with impeccable zeal and commitment.
“In turn, this has aided my government in deepening our engagement and re-engagement within the Committee of Nations. Zimbabwe, as an agro-based economy, has benefited immensely from Dr. Adesina’s agriculture credentials and mission to transform Africa’s rural farmlands into regions of prosperity.”
The Head of State further applauded Dr Adesina’s works in pushing Africa’s agricultural transformation.
“Under his leadership, the Bank’s flagship Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation was launched, delivering climate-smart and weather-resilient staple seeds to more than 40 million smallholder farmers across 30 countries on the continent.
“This is set to see Africa produce an extra 120 million tonnes of food by the end of 2025. This being his farewell year, I challenge current and future generations, the youth and women, to cherish the work of Dr. Adesina and the many other illustrious sons and daughters of Africa as we work hard to realise a thriving and prosperous continent.
“Through unity, hard, honest work, innovation, and resilience, we can realise a modern and industrialised Africa that is truly food and energy secure, peaceful, and independent,” said President Mnangagwa.
Dr Akinwumi Adesina’s tenure as the President of the African Development Bank ends in May this year after being first voted in 2015 and re-elected in 2020.
Several candidates have already expressed their interest in succeeding Dr Adesina, with SADC backing Dr Samuel Maimbo of Zambia to take over the reins at the AfDB.
