by ALEXIS DOUMBIA
ABIDJAN – MAURITANIAN, Sidi Ould Tah, is the new president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group following his election in Ivory Coast.
He defeated four other candidates for the position, during the bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, the capital.
“Let’s go to work now, I’m ready!” Ta said after he was announced the winner on Thursday.
The AfDB Board of Governors, comprising Finance and Economy Ministers, Central Bank Governors of the Bank Group’s 81 regional and non-regional member countries participated in the poll.
Tah (60) brings over 35 years of experience in African and international finance.
A former Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance of Mauritania, Tah has held senior roles in multilateral institutions and has led crisis response, financial reform and innovative resource mobilisation for Africa.
He served as president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa for ten years from 2015.
Tah succeeds Akinumwi Adesina, at the helm since 2015.
AfDB is commemorating six decades of existence, at a time Africa is enduring climate shocks, economic disruption and a shifting geopolitical landscape.
The 2025 Annual Meetings of the bank is under the theme, “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.
