AfDB – Bank Group experts with their counterparts from OECD Development Centre, the EU and UNECA, on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 in Tunis, pursued their peer review meeting on the African Economic Outlook. Tuesday’s meeting was devoted to brainstorming by the various working groups. The meeting also served as a platform for the Economic Development and Research Department Director, Léonce Ndikumana, to express his satisfaction with participants’ commitments to the country reviews underway.

On the sidelines of the event, he shed light on key issues relating to the continent’s economy. Explaining the relevance of the collaboration to the implementation of the African Economic Outlook, Mr. Ndikumana said the AEO project was built on the respective strengths of its core partners, which enjoyed financial support from the European Commission.  “It also benefits from the expertise and contributions of research institutes in 10 Bank Group RMCs, as well as the involvement of AfDB staff as country note authors, peer reviewers, and discussants”. He added that “This year the AEO has a record participation of country economists in operations, including several colleagues based in field offices”.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/2010-african-economic-outlook-peer-review-meeting-in-tunis-partnership-to-ensure-consistent-and-high-quality-analysis-5612/

AfDB – The African Development Bank Board of Directors has recently approved the institution’s administrative budget for 2010 while reaffirming the relevance of AfDB 2008-2012 Medium Term Strategy.

AfDB considers 2010 as a year of consolidation of its delivery capacity, further optimization of the use of available resources, and leveraging on demonstrated efficiency gains and trade offs. Consequently, resource requirements for 2010 have been prepared on the basis of a zero real growth scenario.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/afdb-adminsitrative-budget-for-2010-usd-425-million-zero-growth-5515/

AfDB – On behalf of their respective institutions, Aloysius Uche Ordu, Vice President, Regional and Country Programs and Policy from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Faith Tuedor-Matthews, Deputy Managing Director, from the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) signed today, 16 December 2009 two loan agreements for a total of USD 150 million.

The loan agreements were signed under the AfDB Emergency Liquidity Facility (ELF), and Trade Finance Initiative (TFI) designed for the rapid injection of liquidity into African markets via strong private sector partner institutions.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/afdb-and-uba-sign-landmark-usd-150-million-loan-to-facilitate-african-trade-finance-5505/

AfDB – Representatives of Africa defense, diplomacy, regional organizations and development  institutions, as well members of the  civil society organizations and parliamentarians met,  on 23-24 November 2009, at the African Development Bank in Tunis to discuss ways of  strengthening  regional organizations in dealing with the prevention of violent conflicts on the continent.

Read More – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/prevention-of-violent-crisis-in-africa-5459/

AfDB – The African Development Bank will on 28 and 29 November in Tunis host a forum of the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA), which will discuss the global financial crisis and African regional integration.

The CoDA Board meeting will be held on 29 November 2009 and will be preceded on 28 November by a multi-stakeholder forum on Africa’s reaction to the financial crisis. The gathering brings together the CoDA, Board, academics, representatives of private and public sector, civil society and the African intelligentsia.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/multi-stakeholder-dialogue-on-africas-reaction-to-the-financial-crisis-5433/

AfDB – The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a second budget support loan of US$ 420 million and EUR 186 million to finance the Competitiveness and Public Sector Efficiency (CPSE) Programme in Mauritius. The programme will sustain economic growth and employment against the backdrop of the ongoing global recession, while not losing momentum on long-term reforms needed to make Mauritius more competitive.

The entire population of Mauritius will benefit from the loan, particularly users of publicly-provided social services, domestic and foreign entrepreneurs, the Mauritian workforce, including women facing layoffs in the textile industry, and the most disadvantaged members of the society.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/afdb-approves-us-420-million-and-eur-186-million-budget-support-loan-for-mauritius-5425/

AfDB – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved €1.86 billion (UA 1.70 billion) loan for South Africa’s energy utility company, Eskom Holdings Limited, to finance a power project that will significantly boost the energy capacity of South Africa and the southern African region.

AfDB President Donald Kaberuka commenting on the conclusion of this operation said: “South Africa’s energy problem has been a major impediment to Africa’s leading economy. The Bank is pleased to be associated with this project. We look forward to working with South Africa towards achieving energy security. This operation should be seen in the context of the Bank ongoing efforts to help Africa bridge the infrastructure gap.”

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/approves-eur1-86-billion-loan-for-medupi-power-project-5421/

AfDB – The African Development Bank (AfDB) will be hosting, 1-5 December 2009 in Tunis, the 4th Annual Meeting of the Harmonization for Health in Africa (HHA) initiative. What is exceptional about this year’s meeting is that it will convene a special two-day session involving Permanent Secretaries from Ministries in charge of Finance and Health from over a dozen African countries to deliberate on the Investment Case for Health Expenditures in Africa and to explore strategies to enhance coordination between these ministries.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/the-annual-meeting-of-the-harmonization-for-health-in-africa-5419/

AfDB – After decades of interruption, Somalia re-established its relationship with the African Development Bank (AfDB) on Monday, 23 November 2009 with the signing  of a USD 2 million grant to provide financial and technical assistance to Public Financial Management.  The support to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia comes from the Fragile States Facility (FSF) administrated by the Bank’s Fragile States Unit.

The grant will also help the country establish sound and transparent public financial systems and develop an appropriate legal framework for fiscal and monetary institutions as well as human and institutional capacity.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/somalia-back-in-business-with-afdb-5415/

AfDB – Public Private Partnership Africa Conference provides a platform for all stake holders to promote infrastructure development, examine challenges and opportunities in the infrastructure: energy, transport and water sectors in Africa.

The main theme of the conference is “Implementation of Government policies through public private partnerships in Africa”. Opening remarks will be made by Bobby J. Pittman, Vice President, Operations: Infrastructure, Private Sector & Regional Integration, AfDB.

Read more – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/public-private-partnership-africa-conference-5413/