The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have expressed their approval of the International Monetary Fund’s Executive Board's decision to allow hybrid capital as an eligible instrument for channeling Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). The SDR-hybrid-capital based solution, proposed by AfDB and IDB, meets the IMF’s statistical criteria for international reserve-asset status. As per IMF rules, countries lending their SDRs through this approach can continue to account for them as reserves. Read More »

The African Development Fund's Board of Directors approved a $22.7 million budget support grant for Malawi on 15 May 2024. The grant is aimed at implementing a national program to reform the agricultural sector and strengthen resilience to climate change. The Agricultural Productivity and Marketing Program, designed to catalyze economic growth and ensure food security within Malawi, also involves optimizing efficiency, transparency, and accountability in agricultural sector spending, as well as reinforcing disaster preparedness and climate resilience measures. Read More »

On May 14, 2024, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio delivered a keynote speech at the Clean Cooking in Africa Summit held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. He highlighted the urgent need for progress in clean cooking practices across Africa, noting that nearly four out of five Africans still rely on open fires and traditional stoves using polluting fuels. Read More »

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB), is hosting a validation meeting for the Spatial Development Initiative (SDI) study for the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor from 14 to 16 May 2024 in Accra, Ghana. This three-day event convenes experts from various organizations and sectors to discuss the SDI study results, which include a comprehensive roadmap for the development of the Abidjan-Lagos corridor. Read More »

President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has officially inaugurated a four-day conference of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice. The theme for this year's conference is "Enhancing the role, relevance, and effectiveness of the ECOWAS Court of Justice through the strengthening of synergies between the Court and National Stakeholders". Read More »

The Provisional Register of Electors was made public on Friday, May 10, 2024. Those eligible have until 16:00 on Friday, May 24, 2024, to submit applications for amendments to the Provisional Register. Read More »

The inaugural West African Festival of Arts and Culture (ECOFEST 2024) was officially launched on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The event is organized by the Commissions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), in collaboration with the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The first edition of ECOFEST will take place from September 21 to 28, 2024 in Abidjan, under the theme: “Culture, a catalyst for peace, diversity and economic and social integration... Read More »

Kenya's President, William Ruto, has amplified his call for a significant increase in the African Development Fund, emphasizing the transformative effect of Fund-backed projects within his nation. The Fund operates as the concessional window of the African Development Bank Group. Read More »

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) commemorated World Portuguese Language Day on May 10th with a vibrant celebration at its Main Hall in Abuja. The event underscored the importance of Portuguese as an official language and its cultural significance within the Lusophone countries in the community. Read More »

On May 9, 2024, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) conducted a validation workshop for its 2023-2027 Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and Action Plan Report in Praia. The workshop was part of the Program Promoting a Climate-friendly Energy Market in West Africa (ProCEM-II), supported by GIZ. Read More »

Experts from ECOWAS Member States, regional organisations, and development partners convened in Accra, Ghana on May 9-10, 2024. The meeting was aimed at reviewing the railway component of the ECOWAS Regional Infrastructure Master Plan (RIMP) and ensuring harmonisation of railway infrastructure development within the ECOWAS region. Read More »

By Michael Adaji, Communications Specialist Read More »

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, has called for a transformation in media coverage of Africa and its development. He emphasized the need for balanced reporting during his keynote speech at the All Africa’s Media summit in Nairobi, which was attended by nearly 300 participants from across the continent. Read More »

In an effort to implement a regional climate strategy, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, via its Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, has joined forces with the National Council on Climate Change of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The collaboration resulted in a workshop aimed at socializing Nigeria’s long-term low-carbon development strategy. The event took place on May 7, 2024, in Abuja. Read More »

Development partners are set to convene in Paris on May 14, with the aim of pledging towards the $4 billion required to provide clean cooking access for 250 million African women by 2030. The Clean Cooking Summit will be co-chaired by Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, alongside President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway, and Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency. Read More »

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank Group, has announced the creation of an Annual Africa Media Prize. The award aims to recognise and profile African journalists, correspondents and media houses that highlight Africa’s achievements and progress. Read More »

During the 2024 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the African Development Bank and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This agreement aims to strengthen their existing collaboration and reaffirms their shared commitment to deepen understanding of fragility and insecurity drivers, as well as promote actions that prevent conflicts and build resilience in Africa. Read More »

On May 10, 2024, Madame Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of ECOWAS, embarked on a field visit to the Mansakonko region in The Gambia. This visit was part of her participation in the annual meeting of the steering committee of the regional project “Global Forest Transformation for Populations and Climate: A Focus on West Africa,” which took place on May 7, 2024, in Banjul. The project is funded by Swedish Cooperation and implemented with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Read More »

The African Development Bank Group and civil society organizations in the Central African Republic have pledged to collaborate for inclusive sustainable development in the nation. This significant partnership aims to ensure that the Bank's initiatives align with the needs and priorities of the Central African Republic's populace. The commitment emerged from a consultation meeting held in Bangui on April 30. Read More »

The Community Nursing and Health Promotion teams are preparing to host an informational stall at the Canister in Jamestown on Friday, May 17, 2024, from 10:00 to 13:00. The event is part of a broader effort to raise awareness for World Hypertension Day, which this year carries the theme 'Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer'. Read More »