Akinwumi Adesina has been re-elected as the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) on Thursday. With this election, he will spend another five years managing and supervising the affairs of the bank, Vanguard reported.
The election took place electronically on Thursday at the virtual annual general meeting of the bank.
Recall, Adesina on Wednesday made a case for his re-election as head of the institution, saying that he wanted to fulfill “his sense of duty and commitment.”
His current five-year term as head of the African Development Bank Group was marked by the implementation of five strategic priorities for the continent’s development, known as the “High 5s.”
“Five years ago, right here in Abidjan, you elected me president of the African Development Bank. It was a huge responsibility to shoulder. I promised that I would work tirelessly to accelerate Africa’s development. My vision, focused on the High 5 priorities, was my commitment, my promise, my compass,” Adesina said during a virtual session at the start of the Bank’s 2020 Annual Meetings.
“Time has passed so quickly,” he noted, citing the Bank’s achievements in the five years of his presidency: 18 million additional people now have access to electricity, 141 million people have received more advanced agricultural technology to improve food security, 15 million people have access to financing, 101 million now have access to improved transport, and 60 million people have gained access to water and sanitation.
