African Development Bank Group: speeches

ContextSpeech in Abidjan at the launch of an advisory group that will raise funding for Côte d'Ivoire's National Development Plan 2026–2030.

Why it mattersA model the bank may repeat: helping a member country raise money for its national plan.

ContextAddress in Banjul, The Gambia, to the African Caucus of IMF and World Bank governors, before the President of The Gambia and other African leaders.

Why it mattersAfrica's development bank chief puts a figure on the continent's financing gap and calls for consolidating African financial institutions.

ContextOpening address at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, before several African heads of state.

Why it mattersPresents the new President's plan to make the bank a catalyst for private capital.

ContextClosing remarks at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville, before the bank's governors.

Why it mattersSums up the bank's priorities: women, youth jobs, small firms and access to basic services.

ContextOpening remarks in Abidjan at a high-level meeting between the leaders of the two groups of institutions.

Why it mattersShows the African Development Bank seeking more co-financing from Arab development funds.

ContextOpening remarks in London, before a UK minister and ambassadors.

Why it mattersPitches Africa to private investors with risk-sharing tools.

ContextRemarks in London at the meeting where donor countries pledged money for the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund.

Why it mattersDecides how much money the fund will have to finance Africa's poorest countries in the coming years.

ContextSwearing-in ceremony in Abidjan before Côte d'Ivoire's President and African leaders; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and must mobilise more capital as aid declines.

Why it mattersThe new AfDB president sets his reform agenda as global aid falls, promising a faster and less bureaucratic bank.

ContextKeynote at the 2025 Kenya Law Society Conference on public finance, governance and justice; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and faces heavy public debt in many member countries.

ContextOpening speech at the Africa50 general shareholders meeting in Maputo, Mozambique; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and struggles to attract enough private capital to infrastructure.

Why it mattersThe outgoing AfDB president reviews Africa50's role in turning infrastructure plans into financed projects.

ContextRemarks at a signing ceremony in Addis Ababa for the financing of Ethiopia's new Bishoftu airport; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works to close its infrastructure gap.

Why it mattersThe bank takes charge of gathering lenders for one of the largest aviation projects on the continent.

ContextKeynote at the Standard Chartered Bank Africa Summit in Lagos, Nigeria; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks to draw global capital to the continent.

Why it mattersIt identifies legal and regulatory obstacles that keep global capital away from Africa and proposes regional fixes.

ContextSpeech in Monrovia before Liberia's President at the launch of the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and focuses on jobs for young people.

Why it mattersIt backs a dedicated lender to help young Liberians start businesses after years of slow growth.

ContextAddress to the Government of Liberia in Monrovia; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and supports post-conflict economies in rebuilding.

Why it mattersThe AfDB president urges Liberia's government to tie its plans to measurable results, drawing on the bank's own reforms.

ContextKeynote lecture in Kigali at the 28th Annual Conference on Global Economic Analysis; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development in a world of weakening multilateralism.

Why it mattersIt places Africa's growth prospects within a world of trade wars and weaker multilateralism.

ContextAddress to graduates at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and faces the challenge of creating jobs for a fast-growing young population.

ContextRemarks during a high-level infrastructure tour in Dodoma, Tanzania; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works to close the continent's infrastructure gap.

Why it mattersThe AfDB leads a syndicated loan of up to 1.2 billion dollars for Tanzania's standard gauge railway.

ContextSpeech in Libreville at the inauguration of a drinking water pumping station funded by the bank; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks wider access to water and sanitation.

Why it mattersThe project brings safer water to thousands of households in the Gabonese capital.

ContextOpening statement at a private sector consultation in London on Mission 300, the plan to connect 300 million Africans to electricity; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and needs private capital.

Why it mattersUtility losses and closed grids are named as the main obstacles keeping private capital out of African power.

ContextClosing ceremony of the bank's 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, the last of the speaker's term; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and prepares a leadership change.

Why it mattersThe outgoing AfDB president closes his last Annual Meetings by asking shareholders for more support.

ContextGovernors' dialogue at the bank's 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, with finance ministers of member countries; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and must raise new capital.

Why it mattersMinisters focus on the skills mismatch that leaves millions of young Africans without jobs.

ContextKeynote at the formal opening of the bank's 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, before heads of state and governors; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development as global aid shrinks.

Why it mattersThe AfDB opens its Annual Meetings focused on energy access and regional power links across Africa.

ContextWelcome remarks at a media breakfast before the bank's 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and must explain its results to the public.

Why it mattersThe outgoing AfDB president presents a decade of results in health, transport, water and food security.

ContextSpeech in Praia at the commissioning of the bank-funded Praia Technology Park in Cabo Verde; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs digital jobs for young people.

Why it mattersThe project gives Cabo Verde fibre connectivity and space for digital start-ups to create jobs.

ContextLecture on Africa's place in global development and geopolitics; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks a stronger African voice in world finance.

Why it mattersIt argues that Africa is underrepresented in global negotiations despite its investment potential.

ContextSpeech at the groundbreaking of special agro-industrial processing zones in Kaduna State, Nigeria; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes local food processing.

Why it mattersThe zones aim to process farm produce locally and create rural jobs in northern Nigeria.

ContextSpeech at a high-level conference on scaling finance for smallholder farmers; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and puts agriculture at the heart of growth.

Why it mattersThe AfDB presents its tools for women farmers and fertiliser finance to close the smallholder credit gap.

ContextSpeech at State House in Nairobi on receiving Kenya's Order of the Golden Heart; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works closely with member governments.

ContextSpeech to African heads of state at the 38th African Union summit in Addis Ababa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and needs political support for new financing.

Why it mattersThe AfDB president asks leaders to turn investment interest into signed deals.

ContextClosing keynote at the Africa Investment Forum 2024 Market Days in Rabat; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and uses the forum to close investment deals.

Why it mattersThe AfDB reports the deals secured at the forum and stresses project preparation.

ContextOpening keynote at the Africa Investment Forum 2024 Market Days in Rabat; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks to mobilise private investors.

Why it mattersThe AfDB opens its investment forum to match vetted African projects with institutional capital.

ContextSpeech at a high-level dialogue meeting on clearing Zimbabwe's arrears and resolving its debt; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and champions Zimbabwe's debt process.

Why it mattersThe bank ties a resolution of Harare's external arrears to governance and economic reforms backed by creditors.

ContextSpeech at a COP29 high-level event in Baku on measuring Africa's natural capital; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants nature counted in national wealth.

Why it mattersThe AfDB argues that counting Africa's natural capital would unlock more climate finance.

ContextLecture in Nigeria marking the 90th birthday of former head of state Yakubu Gowon; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes regional integration.

Why it mattersThe lecture proposes youth entrepreneurship investment banks to finance Nigeria's young people.

ContextSpeech at the celebrations of the bank's 60th anniversary; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and looks ahead to its next decades.

ContextSpeech in Abuja at a retreat of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and makes food security a priority.

Why it mattersThe AfDB enlists faith institutions in the fight against rising hunger in Africa.

ContextSpeech in Moroni at the opening of the bank-funded National Road 2 in the Comoros; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and builds transport links.

Why it mattersBetter transport links are presented as key for an island economy cut off from markets.

ContextKeynote at Chatham House in London on Africa's economic prospects; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks to change how investors view the continent.

Why it mattersAdesina argues that Africa's perceived risk exceeds its real risk and deters capital.

ContextStatement at the first Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul, before Korean and African leaders; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts new partners.

Why it mattersAdesina asks Seoul to expand joint energy financing for the continent.

ContextClosing speech at the bank's 59th Annual Meetings in Nairobi; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants reform of the global financial architecture.

Why it mattersAdesina urges Africa to trust its own institutions and change how it is portrayed.

ContextOpening speech at the bank's 2024 Annual Meetings in Nairobi, before Kenya's President and governors; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks reform of global finance.

Why it mattersAdesina points to Africa's economic resilience despite debt, climate and inflation shocks.

ContextKeynote at the governors' dialogue of the bank's 2024 Annual Meetings in Nairobi; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and debates how to fund it.

Why it mattersAdesina presents de-risking tools to draw private money into African projects.

ContextRemarks in Riyadh at the 50th anniversary of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development with partner lenders.

Why it mattersAdesina calls for more Arab-African co-financing of development projects.

ContextStatement at the Summit for Clean Cooking in Africa in Paris; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants clean cooking for millions of households.

Why it mattersAdesina pledges funding so that smoke from wood and charcoal stops harming health and forests.

ContextKeynote at the All Africa Media Leaders' Summit in Nairobi; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants a fairer image of Africa in the media.

Why it mattersAdesina argues that negative media coverage raises Africa's cost of capital.

ContextSpeech in Riyadh at a high-level session for the Islamic Development Bank's 50th anniversary; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks more funding for the SDGs.

ContextStatement in Brasilia at the signing of Brazil's accession to the Lusophone Compact for Portuguese-speaking African countries; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks new partner countries.

ContextStatement at a high-level roundtable on climate finance during the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings in Washington; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks more climate funding.

Why it mattersAdesina presents a window to channel climate money to the most vulnerable countries.

ContextAcceptance speech for the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership in Nigeria; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes people-centred growth.

Why it mattersAdesina calls for free education and people-centred policies in Nigeria.

ContextRemarks on receiving an honorary doctorate from Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and stresses youth and education.

ContextSpeech at the president's diplomatic luncheon for ambassadors in Abidjan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and relies on support from member countries.

Why it mattersAdesina describes how high global rates and weak currencies strain African budgets.

ContextOpening remarks presenting the bank's 2024 Africa Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook report; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and tracks growth across the continent.

Why it mattersAdesina warns that slow debt restructurings leave many African countries at high risk.

ContextAgenda-setting remarks at an African Leaders for Nutrition meeting; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and fights malnutrition through investment.

Why it mattersAdesina asks governments to make nutrition a budget priority.

ContextSpeech at the general assembly of Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo, the Italian business association for Africa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts European investors.

Why it mattersAdesina presents guarantees to reduce the risks Italian investors see in Africa.

ContextRemarks in Kigali at the launch of BioNTech's vaccine manufacturing facility; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs local medicine production.

Why it mattersThe first mRNA vaccine plant on the continent aims to reduce dependence on imports seen during Covid.

ContextSpeech in Kigali at the signing of the host agreement between Rwanda and the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and supports local pharmaceutical industries.

ContextConvocation speech at Veritas University in Abuja, Nigeria; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and stresses opportunities for young graduates.

Why it mattersAdesina encourages graduates to build businesses ready for investors.

ContextRemarks at the Sustainable Trade Africa Conference at the UAE Trade Center during COP28 in Dubai; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes trade.

Why it mattersAdesina warns that the EU carbon border tax could hurt African exports.

ContextRemarks at a COP28 session in Dubai on channelling IMF special drawing rights to climate and development; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants SDRs routed through it.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes routing IMF reserve assets through development lenders to multiply climate finance.

ContextRemarks at a COP28 session in Dubai on climate-resilient debt clauses; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants debt relief after climate disasters.

Why it mattersAdesina calls for loan clauses that pause repayments after climate disasters.

ContextRemarks at COP28 in Dubai at the signing of the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and needs capital for green projects.

Why it mattersA new partnership aims to fund early-stage preparation of low-carbon projects, where capital is scarcest.

ContextRemarks at COP28 in Dubai at the launch of the Africa and Middle East SAFE initiative; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works on food security under climate change.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes that Africa supply food to the water-stressed Gulf region.

ContextRemarks at COP28 in Dubai at the launch of a battery energy storage consortium; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants reliable clean power.

Why it mattersStoring solar and wind output is presented as the missing piece for dependable African electricity.

ContextRemarks at COP28 in Dubai launching the African Women Clean Cooking Support Program; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks a fair energy transition for women.

ContextRemarks at COP28 in Dubai launching the African Climate Risk Insurance Facility for Adaptation; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and helps countries insure against climate shocks.

Why it mattersCoverage against droughts, floods and pests remains rare for African growers; this facility targets that gap.

ContextRemarks at a COP28 session in Dubai on green energy, digital economy and Africa's infrastructure finance gap; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts investors.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes guarantees at scale to unlock private money for energy and digital networks.

ContextRemarks at the Adaptation Finance Summit for Africa at COP28 in Dubai; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks more climate adaptation money.

ContextKeynote in Lagos at the 40th anniversary of The Guardian newspapers of Nigeria; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and addresses Nigeria's opinion leaders.

Why it mattersAdesina argues that political sovereignty needs African money to back it.

ContextKeynote at the African Mayoral Forum during the Africa Investment Forum 2023 in Marrakesh; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs city infrastructure.

Why it mattersAdesina pushes for sub-national projects that investors usually overlook.

ContextClosing speech at the Africa Investment Forum 2023 in Marrakesh; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and uses the forum to secure investment deals.

Why it mattersAdesina reports the deals secured with partner institutions.

ContextSpeech at the Africa Investment Forum 2023 plenary on regional corridors in Marrakesh; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes regional integration.

ContextOpening remarks at an Africa Investment Forum side event in Marrakech on growth with Japanese firms; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts Asian investors.

Why it mattersAdesina invites Japanese firms and start-ups to expand on the continent.

ContextOpening speech at the Africa Investment Forum 2023 in Marrakesh; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and gathers investors for African projects.

Why it mattersAdesina presents the forum as a way to bring bankable projects to investors.

ContextOpening remarks at the Africa Investment Forum session on special agro-industrial processing zones in Marrakech; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes agro-industry.

Why it mattersAdesina argues that Africa should process more of its harvest at home.

ContextRemarks at an African agricultural dialogue on agro-processing zones during the World Food Prize 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs agriculture.

Why it mattersAdesina seeks private partners for food processing zones in Africa.

ContextSpeech at the Norman Borlaug International Dialogue of the World Food Prize 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and leads food security plans.

Why it mattersAdesina sets a five-year goal to unlock Africa's farm potential through technology.

ContextWelcome remarks at the 2023 Kofi Annan Eminent Speakers Series on the global development finance architecture; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants lenders reformed after Covid.

Why it mattersAdesina urges multilateral lenders to take more risk and use their balance sheets fully.

ContextRemarks at a high-level roundtable on a fair international financial architecture during the UN General Assembly in New York; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants fairer global finance.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes currency risk tools to attract institutional investors.

ContextStatement at the UN Climate Ambition Summit in New York on adaptation and early warning systems; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks climate justice for Africa.

Why it mattersAdesina presents a climate window to fund resilience in low-income countries.

ContextOpening keynote at the KOAFEC Korea-Africa economic cooperation ministerial conference in Korea; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works with Asian partners.

Why it mattersAdesina warns that rate rises in rich countries are pushing up African debt costs.

ContextCommencement address to the MBA class of 2023 at Oxford University's Saïd Business School; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants young leaders engaged with Africa.

Why it mattersAdesina recalls the 2008 crisis to urge graduates to lead with ethics.

ContextOpening speech at the African Climate Summit in Nairobi before African heads of state; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks climate finance for the continent.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes investment compacts to fund national adaptation plans.

ContextSpeech at the fifth mid-year coordination meeting of the African Union and regional economic communities in Nairobi; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs regional integration.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes security-indexed bonds to finance stability in fragile areas.

ContextKeynote lecture at the Business Day CEO Forum in Lagos; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants Nigeria to industrialise.

Why it mattersAdesina argues that Nigeria must move beyond oil to industrialise.

ContextOpening speech at the Africa50 Infra Forum and shareholders meeting in Lomé, Togo; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs the Africa50 infrastructure fund.

Why it mattersAdesina presents catalytic equity as a way to bring institutional investors into African infrastructure.

ContextKeynote at the Paris Club of creditor countries on Africa's changing debt landscape; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and pushes for faster debt resolution.

Why it mattersAdesina shows how African debt shifted toward costlier private and Chinese lenders.

ContextSpeech at the Agribusiness and Science Week of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa in Durban; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs farm productivity.

Why it mattersAdesina wants crop scientists to work on the continent's own priorities and to insure growers against weather.

ContextInauguration lecture in Abuja for Nigeria's new President; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and advises governments on growth policies.

Why it mattersAdesina urges the incoming administration to invest in human capital.

ContextClosing speech at the bank's 2023 Annual Meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks private capital for climate.

Why it mattersAdesina says the G20 debt framework is not working well.

ContextStatement at the governors' dialogue of the bank's 2023 Annual Meetings in Sharm El Sheikh; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and needs private climate finance.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes a climate action window for low-income countries.

ContextLaunch of the African Economic Outlook 2023 at the bank's Annual Meetings in Sharm El Sheikh; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and tracks its economies.

Why it mattersAdesina links natural capital to private climate finance.

ContextSpeech at a presidential dialogue on the global financial architecture at the bank's 2023 Annual Meetings; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants lenders reformed.

Why it mattersAdesina argues that reform of global finance must put Africa at the centre.

ContextOpening ceremony of the bank's 2023 Annual Meetings in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and focuses on climate finance.

Why it mattersAdesina focuses on drawing private money into African climate action.

ContextSpeech at Zimbabwe's High-Level Debt Resolution Forum in Harare; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and champions Zimbabwe's arrears clearance.

Why it mattersAdesina ties Zimbabwe's debt relief to governance and anti-corruption reforms.

ContextCommencement address to the class of 2023 at Calvin University in Michigan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and urges graduates to drive change.

ContextAddress at a reception for African ambassadors in Japan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and mobilises Japanese funding.

Why it mattersAdesina seeks Japanese finance for African vaccines, energy and water.

ContextSpeech at the Japan-Africa Investment Ecosystem Co-Creation Forum in Tokyo; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts Japanese investors.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes co-financing large projects with Japanese partners.

ContextKeynote at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks funding for clean energy in Africa.

Why it mattersAdesina argues that Africa should be allowed to use gas during the transition.

ContextSpeech at the State House Conference Center in Abuja launching the I-DICE programme for digital and creative industries; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and supports youth jobs.

Why it mattersThe programme aims to turn music, film and tech talent into jobs for young Nigerians.

ContextSpeech in Harare at the second dialogue platform on Zimbabwe's arrears clearance and debt resolution; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and champions this process.

ContextClosing speech at the Feed Africa Summit on food sovereignty in Dakar, Senegal; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants Africa to feed itself.

ContextSpeech at the Feed Africa Summit in Dakar, Senegal, with African heads of state; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and mobilises funds for agriculture.

Why it mattersAdesina calls on leaders to add value to food at scale so the continent can feed itself.

ContextKeynote at the launch of the African Mayoral Leadership Initiative; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and supports fast-growing African cities.

Why it mattersAdesina wants towns to raise money directly and plan for floods and heat.

ContextKeynote launching the bank's 2023 Africa Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook report; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and tracks its economies.

Why it mattersAdesina warns about rising debt vulnerabilities as growth slows.

ContextAfrica can only reach its full development potential with its women. I have always been insistent that no bird can fly or soar with one wing.

ContextClosing speech at the donors' pledging session for the 16th replenishment of the African Development Fund; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and its soft-loan fund needs donor money.

Why it mattersAdesina closes the pledging round and commits to track gender results.

ContextOpening speech at the donors' pledging session for the 16th replenishment of the African Development Fund; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks grants for the poorest countries.

Why it mattersAdesina presents a debt action plan to donors.

ContextKeynote at the 2022 Global Community of Practice policy dialogue of the bank's African Development Institute; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and builds policy skills.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes incentives for diaspora investment in Africa.

ContextSpeech at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh launching the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks green investment.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes mobilising institutional investors for climate-resilient infrastructure.

ContextSpeech at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh launching the Africa Business Leaders Coalition; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants business engaged on climate.

Why it mattersAdesina wants African companies to become part of the climate solution.

ContextSpeech at the COP27 leaders' event on accelerating adaptation in Africa in Sharm El Sheikh; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and backs climate adaptation.

Why it mattersAdesina seeks donor money for adaptation in fragile states.

ContextRemarks at a plenary session on sovereign wealth funds; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and wants these funds invested in Africa.

Why it mattersAdesina invites state investment funds to back the continent, using guarantees to reduce risk.

ContextOpening ceremony of the Africa Investment Forum Market Days 2022 in Abidjan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and gathers investors for deals.

Why it mattersAdesina presents de-risking and syndication tools to investors.

ContextClosing speech at the third Finance in Common Summit of public development banks in Abidjan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and hosted the summit.

Why it mattersAdesina urges public development banks to coordinate on infrastructure and health.

ContextOpening speech at the third Finance in Common Summit in Abidjan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works with other public development banks.

Why it mattersAdesina warns that global tightening drives capital out of emerging markets.

ContextSpeech at the 2022 Civil Society Forum in Abidjan; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works with civil society groups.

Why it mattersAdesina warns that Africa's needs risk being sidelined globally.

ContextSpeech at a YARA knowledge exchange event in Oslo, Norway; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes better farm inputs.

Why it mattersAdesina warns of a looming fertiliser shortage for African farmers.

ContextSpeech at the Norwegian-African Business Association summit in Oslo; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts European business.

Why it mattersAdesina invites Nordic companies to tilt more investment to Africa.

ContextSpeech at the Nigeria International Economic Partnership Forum on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly in New York; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts investors for Nigeria.

ContextSpeech in Dakar at the third meeting for the 16th replenishment of the African Development Fund; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks donor funds.

Why it mattersAdesina asks donors to replenish the fund for fragile states.

ContextStatement at the Africa Climate Adaptation Summit in Rotterdam; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and leads an adaptation acceleration programme.

Why it mattersAdesina links climate change to conflict and displacement.

ContextSpeech at the TICAD-8 signing ceremony for the fifth phase of the Japan-Africa private sector initiative in Tunis; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development with Japanese funds.

Why it mattersTokyo commits new money for African companies and better handling of public borrowing.

ContextSpeech at the TICAD-8 plenary on the economy in Tunis; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works with Japan on investment.

Why it mattersAdesina calls for debt transparency as global rates rise.

ContextSpeech at the TICAD-8 business leaders' forum in Tunisia; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and courts Japanese companies.

Why it mattersAdesina supports a Japanese Africa investment fund.

ContextSpeech at the Africa50 general shareholders meeting in Marrakech; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and chairs the Africa50 infrastructure fund.

ContextSpeech at the US-Africa Business Summit in Marrakech; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and seeks American investment.

Why it mattersAdesina invites American investors to curated African deals.

ContextSpeech at the seventh Africa-Ireland Economic Forum in Dublin; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and builds ties with European partners.

Why it mattersAdesina warns that 23 African countries face high debt distress.

ContextStatement at the G7 ministerial conference Uniting for Global Food Security in Berlin; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and runs an emergency food production plan.

Why it mattersAdesina presents Africa as part of the solution to the global food crisis.

ContextSpeech at the 52nd Annual Meetings of the Caribbean Development Bank; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and shares lessons with a sister institution.

Why it mattersAdesina shares tools for de-risking infrastructure with island economies.

ContextOpening speech at the bank's 2022 Annual Meetings in Accra, Ghana; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and focuses on climate resilience.

Why it mattersAdesina asks rich countries to deliver climate promises.

ContextStatement at the opening press event of the bank's 2022 Annual Meetings in Accra; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and explains its response to crises.

Why it mattersAdesina presents the bank's response to the food crisis.

ContextPublic statement by the bank's president; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and must keep the trust of its shareholders.

ContextStatement during an audience with Nigeria's President in Abuja; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and works with member governments.

Why it mattersAdesina discusses rising food prices with Nigeria's President.

ContextAddress in Washington to the African Union's F15 group of finance ministers; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and coordinates African positions.

Why it mattersAdesina presents an emergency food production plan to finance ministers.

ContextSpeech at the South Africa Investment Conference in Johannesburg; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes investment in South Africa.

Why it mattersAdesina proposes a just transition facility for coal-dependent South Africa.

ContextSpeech at an African Women Heads of State initiative event; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and promotes women's leadership.

Why it mattersAdesina seeks investors for women-led businesses.

ContextSpeech at the 35th ordinary session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and supports AU priorities.

Why it mattersAdesina links insecurity to lost investment and youth opportunities.

ContextAcceptance speech for an honorary doctorate from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria; the African Development Bank finances Africa's development and values science and technology.