New Era at AfDB as Tah Steps In

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has entered a new chapter as Sidi Ould Tah officially took office as its ninth president, succeeding Akinwumi Adesina, who completed a ten-year term this week.

Tah, a Mauritanian economist with decades of experience in development finance, secured 76.18% of the votes at the bank’s annual meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in May. His victory speech set the tone for a presidency built on collaboration, reforms, and a promise to bring tangible progress to the continent.

A Pledge of Reform and Inclusion

In his remarks, Tah highlighted his intention to “work with all stakeholders in a spirit of consultation and collegiality” while paying tribute to his predecessors for shaping the AfDB into a leading African financial institution. He thanked President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire for his role in the swearing-in, as well as Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ghezouani and other national and regional supporters for rallying behind his candidacy.

Addressing governors, intellectuals, and civil society, Tah added: “The ideas which you had, the proposals which you tabled, and the convictions which were expressed are well appreciated, and I would draw inspiration from them.”

First 100 Days Plan

The new president outlined four immediate priorities. He promised to listen closely to shareholders and clients, speed up reforms to cut delays, deepen ties with global and African partners, and deliver practical solutions for financing, jobs, and inclusion.

He committed to expanding AfDB partnerships beyond traditional institutions, targeting sovereign and pension funds to unlock larger pools of capital. Tah also stressed that his presidency would focus on tackling pressing issues such as debt burdens, climate change, and peace-building.

“We will be the bank that bridges divides between vision and execution, between public and private sectors, and between urgency and bureaucracy,” he declared.