Kunle Awosiyan |
Nigeria Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has emerged the president of African Development Bank.
Adesina was declared winner at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday.
Until his appointment as Minister in 2010, he was Vice President of Policy and Partnership for Green Revolution in Africa. Eight candidates contested the presidency of the African Development bank (AfDB).
Seven other candidates in the election were Sufian Ahmed from Ethiopian, Jaloul Ayed from Tunisian, Kordjé Bedoumra from Chad, Cristina Duarte from Cabo Verde.
Others are Samura Kamara from Sierra Leone, Thomas Sakala from Zimbabwe and Birama Boubacar Sidibé of Mali.
Earlier on Monday, the minister had expressed optimism that he would be declared the president during the week-long annual forum of continental financial institution, where 54 member states and 26 non-member states, which include the UK and the UK, began yesterday in Abidjan.
All the 54 regional members have a combined 3,844,574 votes with voting powers of 59.722, while 26 non-regional members, including the UK and US have 2,592,862 votes and voting powers of 40.278.
Some of the key issues that the new president will be tackling will be centred on private sector growth and a shift in emphasis from aid dependence; supporting programmes that will create employment for youths, promote venture capitalism and private equity in the continent’s economy.
The president will also dwell in reviving rural economy through agricultural transformation and strengthen regional integration and economy.
