Mauritanian economist Sidi Ould Tah has presented his vision for the African Development Bank (AfDB),ahead of the presidential election scheduled for May 29 in Abidjan,focusing on mobilizing resources,reforming financial architecture,leveraging demographic potential,and building climate-resilient infrastructure.
The former Mauritanian Minister of Economy and Finance brings significant experience from his role as Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA),where he increased the bank’s assets from $4 billion to nearly $7 billion between 2015 and 2024.
A key element of Ould Tah’s platform is optimizing financial resources,with the goal of multiplying each invested dollar tenfold for Africa’s development. He also advocates for better coordination between African financial institutions to enhance effectiveness and create synergies.
“Security and development are inseparable. To reduce risks of conflict and instability,the AfDB must focus on creating solid foundations for sustainable development,especially in fragile countries,” he explained in a recent interview.
Ould Tah emphasizes infrastructure development as crucial for continental economic integration,particularly in relation to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “Today,to move a container from Mombasa to Dakar,the only possible route is maritime. We need to develop land corridors and explore other transport forms such as waterways,” he noted.
On climate change,he proposes an energy mix approach combining renewable and conventional sources to support industrial growth while acknowledging Africa’s minimal contribution to global emissions.
Ould Tah faces competition from four other candidates: Amadou Hott (Senegal),Samuel Munzele Maimbo (Zambia),Abbas Mahamat Tolli (Chad),and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa).
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