New York, United States of America, September 25, 2025 – African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) President Sidi Ould Tah is leading a strong push at the United Nations’ 80th General Assembly (UNGA80) to secure financing and strengthen partnerships that will accelerate Africa’s development trajectory. His mission focuses on mobilizing support for the replenishment of the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional lending arm, while advancing Africa’s priorities on climate resilience, economic transformation, and regional integration.

High on Dr. Ould Tah’s agenda are financing, resource mobilization, climate change, socio-economic fragility, peace and security, and reform of Africa’s financial architecture. Presenting his vision at several sideline events, he outlined four strategic pillars:

Achieving self-sufficiency and unlocking Africa's potential.

Reforming the continent’s financial architecture.

Turning demographic growth into a dividend by creating jobs for women and youth.

Building climate-resilient infrastructure and promoting value addition.

Since arriving in New York, Dr. Ould Tah has engaged in high-level meetings with global leaders and heads of government.

With UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, he discussed strengthening cooperation between the UN and the Bank. Dr. Ould Tah praised Africa’s resilience and stressed the importance of building a new African financial system through collaborative partnerships.

With UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita, he emphasized maternal health and investing in girls, highlighting demographic transformation as key to Africa’s future prosperity.

With Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko, discussions centered on economic diversification, infrastructure development—particularly rail connectivity—and leveraging natural resources to create youth employment.

With Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the UAE reaffirmed its readiness to support the Bank’s mission and expand cooperation.

Dr. Ould Tah is also set to participate in the launch of new National Energy Compacts under Mission 300—a joint World Bank–AfDB initiative to deliver electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030. A trilateral dialogue is planned with AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and UNECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete, focusing on continental priorities.

Looking ahead, the seventeenth replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF), due in December, will be a major test of solidarity amid shrinking global aid. On Tuesday, Dr. Ould Tah confirmed that several African countries have already pledged contributions, signaling strong regional commitment to the fund that supports 37 low-income nations across the continent.

 

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