The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, on Thursday expressed happiness at his re-election as the multilateral lender’s helmsman.
In his acceptance speech shortly after he was declared re-elected by the Bank’s Board of Governors and other stakeholders, the Nigerian ex-minister of agriculture and rural development said he was the first president of the Bank to be re-elected with 100 percent of the votes.
Adesina was re-elected during the Bank’s Board of Governors’ meeting held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Thursday morning.
He will begin his new term on September 1.
He said: “Of course, right now, the sound that is the loudest in my ears is the announcement of my re-election as President of the African Development Bank for a second term.
“I am deeply grateful for the collective trust, strong confidence and support of our shareholders for electing me for a second term as president. It is yet another call for selfless service to Africa and the African Development Bank, to which I will passionately devote myself.
“We also made history by re-electing me by 100 percent votes via a vote. I became the first president of the Bank in its history to be re-elected by 100 percent votes of all its shareholders and I am most grateful and very appreciative.
“This was very important; it shows the transparency of our bank, it shows your demonstrated weight of support behind my vision.
“It shows a very clear and strong mandate from all shareholders to go and implement the vision, it shows that all voices were heard, it shows that we are true to the constitutive test of our bank.
“The future beckons us for a more developed Africa and a much stronger and resilient African Development Bank Group. We will build on the strong foundations of success in the past five years, while further strengthening the institution, for greater effectiveness and impacts.”
