A productive working meeting in Abidjan on Tuesday between Senior Vice-President of the African Development Bank Group Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala and a delegation from the World Bank led by Managing Director for Operations Anna Bjerde has resulted in a mutual agreement to identify key areas for intervention and collaboration.
This collaboration strengthens efforts to tackle poverty and climate change, develop various sectors, including energy and agriculture, and deal with pandemics. Ms Bjerde was accompanied by the institution’s regional Vice-President for West and Central Africa, Ousmane Diagana, and other colleagues. The meeting, which took place at the Bank Group’s headquarters in Abidjan, built upon previous discussions between World Bank President Ajay Banga and the President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi Adesina.
Ms Tshabalala, who was accompanied by Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade and several of the Bank Group’s senior managers, provided an update on the Bank Group’s top priorities for the continent, known as the High 5s. Ms Tshabalala pointed out the benefits of the meeting, which helped to strengthen efforts already made to tackle poverty and climate change, build young people’s capacity for promoting small and medium-sized businesses, develop the energy, agricultural and other sectors, and deal with pandemics. Ms Tshabalala also stressed the Bank Group’s partnerships with other institutions, such as Afreximbank, the West African Development Bank and others, for better synergies on the ground.
Source : AFDB