The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Dr. Akinwumi Adesina assured Sierra Leone the Bank is supportive of the country’s development agenda. He made the statement to the media shortly upon his arrival in Freetown, on Wednesday 11 March 2020.

He is here to see the President and most importantly to offer support to Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is a very important country to AfDB, as Sierra Leone is a founder member of the bank and we have been financing projects and programs in Sierra Leone since 1967, he said.

Highlighting some of the development projects in Sierra Leone in different sectors that the bank has financed, in Agriculture, Energy, Water, and Sanitation, Infrastructure and other sectors. Noting that the current project portfolio is around USD 758 million.

Like many other African countries, there are lots of challenges that the country is faced with and commended the government so far in addressing those challenges.

His first official visit to Sierra Leone since he became President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), noting that he is delighted to be here.

The visit presents an opportunity to deepen discussions on several fronts, and in particular, how the African Development Bank (AfDB) assists Sierra Leone to implement the 2019-2023 National Development Plan focuses on human capital development. Dr. Adesina continued that he had a conversation with President Julius Maada Bio during the African Union Submit in February 2020, in which the President talked about his reforms, and assured the President will visit Sierra Leone to discuss more.

The Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa, in his remark welcoming Dr. Akinwumi Adesina to Sierra Leone, and expressed the government’s gratitude that amidst the international health crisis of the Corona Virus, the President decides to proceed with this visit. The continuous visits of high profile personnel within international development partner organizations, not only a sign of cordial relationship the government of Sierra Leone has with its partners but also demonstrates, the government of Sierra Leone on the right development trajectory.

Dr. Adesina will have the opportunity to get first-hand information from critical stakeholders of the state on the development priorities, progress, and challenges that will allow him to support the financing of projects and programs that will resonate with the aspirations of the people of Sierra Leone.

During his visit, he will be meeting with the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio, Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa, Ministers of Government, Heads of Government agency, and other development partners.

Dr. Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina is the 8th President of the African Development Bank Group, was elected to office May 28, 2015, by the Bank Board of Governors at its Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. A distinguished development economist and agricultural development expert with 25 years of international experience. He is the first Nigerian to serve as President of the Bank Group.

He served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2011 to 2015, during which time he implemented bold policy reforms in the fertilizer sector and pursued innovative agricultural investment programs to expand opportunities for the private sector.

The Director-General Marie-Laure Akin-Ologbade, Executive Director Kenyah Barley, AfDB Country Manager for Ethiopia, Abdul Kamara, and other staff of the Bank accompanied the President of AfDB.