Category: English

Source: APO

.

More than 3,000 delegates will gather in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, for the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) from 25 to 29 May. It will be the sixty-first meeting of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank, and the fifty-second of the African Development Fund (ADF).

The Kintele Conference Centre, venue of the meetings, offers panoramic views of the Congo River whose massive flow is estimated to potentially generate enough electricity to power much of Africa. Against that backdrop, delegates from the Bank’s 81 member-countries will reflect on the theme: “Mobilising Africa’s Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World.”

This theme for this year reflects a stark reality. Capital is tight. Inflows from Official Development Assistance (ODA) have declined. Risk is priced higher. Supply chains are less predictable. Yet, Africa needs long-term finance for energy, food security, climate adaptation, infrastructure, and jobs for a growing and anxious population.  Meanwhile, the continent’s development financing gap stands at $400 billion per year. That chasm demands audacious solutions. 

The key question in Brazzaville is simple: how can Africa raise development finance at scale, at speed, and at lower cost, primarily from its own resources, to turn the continent’s vast and varied assets and opportunities into investable pipelines to deliver socio-economic impact?

The 2026 Meetings are the first for Dr Sidi Ould Tah, who took office in September 2025 as the ninth President of the Bank Group.  A key early achievement under his leadership is the historic $11 billion seventeenth replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-17) in London in December last year.  The ADF, the Bank’s concessional lending arm, supports low-income and fragile African member-countries with soft loans and grants.  Twenty-four African countries – a record number – pledged $182.7 million to the ADF. 

Significantly, Africa holds an estimated $4 trillion in pension and sovereign wealth funds, and similar savings mechanisms; however, these resources sit in fragments. Under Dr Ould Tah’s New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD), these resources will be marshalled and leveraged to unleash the continent’s capital power and, in his words, “make every dollar work like ten.”  

NAFAD received the nod of approval from leaders and representatives of Africa’s finance ecosystem in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, in April this year, following its endorsement by AU Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa in February.  NAFAD is anchored to the Four Cardinal Points, the President’s strategic vision for the Bank Group to unlock Africa’s capital power, strengthen its financial sovereignty, while investing in human capital and MSMEs to support youth and women, and building infrastructure and competitive value chains.  These strategies are expected to receive  keen attention in Brazzaville. 

Heads of State and Government, Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors, private sector, finance and civil society leaders will participate in consultative meetings, plenaries and knowledge sessions. 

The Annual Meetings constitute the most important statutory event of the Bank Group, where the Boards of Governors, the highest decision-making and oversight bodies, review performance over the preceding year, and parse strategies for the future. 

The Meetings in Brazzaville will also see the launch of the 2026 edition of the African Economic Outlook (AEO) report, produced by the Bank Group.  The data-rich report, to be made public on 26 May, offers projections for economic prospects for the continent, including analyses of the prospects for each region. The AEO is one of the continent’s most influential economic publications.  Its release is highly anticipated, as it serves as a reference document and policy guide for governments, investors, banks, and international financial and academic institutions. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Source: APO

The African Development Bank Group (https://www.AfDB.org) and OCP Group signed an agreement in Rabat on 22 May 2026 for a partial credit guarantee amounting to €450 million, aimed at supporting the investment programme of the world leader in plant nutrition solutions and phosphate-based fertilisers.

This operation is designed to facilitate the mobilisation of a €530 million green financing facility by Société générale and BNP Paribas.

The signing of this agreement marks a key milestone in implementing OCP Group’s 2023–2030 investment programme. It will help secure long-term financial resources from international financial institutions and pave the way for the effective deployment of planned investments.

The first mechanism of its kind in Morocco, this guarantee illustrates the African Development Bank Group’s role as a catalyst for innovative financing in support of the energy transition and sustainable water management. It aligns with OCP Group’s strategy to strengthen and modernise its value chains while supporting the resilience and sustainable transformation of Morocco’s agricultural systems.

The programme fully aligns with the African Development Bank Group’s Four Cardinal Points (https://apo-opa.co/3PWnM2X), in particular Cardinal Point 2 on large-scale capital mobilisation and Cardinal Point 4 on the development of resilient, value-creating infrastructure.

“The signing of this agreement reaffirms our commitment to OCP Group’s investment program. Leveraging our AAA credit rating, we are mobilising international capital to accelerate the development of low-carbon fertiliser production, the deployment of renewable energy, and sustainable water management. These are strategic levers in support of food security across the continent,” said Achraf Tarsim, Country Manager of the African Development Bank Group in Morocco.

For OCP Group, the agreement marks the transition to the on-the-ground implementation phase. “With this agreement, we are taking a decisive step toward a low-carbon, circular industrial model. The support of the African Development Bank Group strengthens our capacity to invest in solutions that preserve resources, protect soils, and support farmers. Together, we are contributing to sustainable growth for Morocco, Africa, and global food security,” said Younes Kchia, Chief Financial Officer of OCP Group.

The resources mobilised under this agreement will enable the launch of transformational projects focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding renewable energy, and improving water and energy efficiency across OCP Group’s industrial facilities. They will also help promote sustainable agricultural practices, preserve soils, and strengthen food security, while supporting low-carbon industrial growth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media contact:
Fahd Belbachir
Communication and External Relations Department
African Development Bank Group
media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

Source: APO – Report:

.

Demonstrating confidence, critical thinking, and leadership, young students from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area gathered in a Pibor town for lively, sometimes fierce, but always respectful, debate on a variety of hot topics.

The event hosted by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan provided an important platform for the 24 students representing various schools to make their cases for positive change.

First up was gender equality, including equal access to education and participation in leadership and peacebuilding. This is particularly important given that girls in some households within Murle communities are required to remain at home while boys go to school.

“Boys and girls deserve equal opportunities to have their voices heard in shaping their futures,” argued James Arzen from Redeemer School, whose team ultimately triumphed over Kondako Primary School in winning the debate. “They have equal potential to contribute to nation-building and community development.”

The second round featured a robust contest between Lokurnyang Mixed Primary School and Pibor Boys Primary School on the theme: “women are equally effective leaders as men.”

The proposition team from Lokurnyang argued that leadership effectiveness depends on competence, integrity, and commitment rather than gender while also highlighting women’s important role in peacebuilding, education, and community development.

On the opposing side, Paul Peter and his teammates from Pibor Boys Primary School demonstrated exceptional rebuttal skills throughout the debate.

“This debate gives us space and ability to challenge gender inequalities and the relegation of women,” he stated.

The most passionate debate was over the impact of social media on children, igniting significant passion and energy among the students as well as the large audience.

“Excessive use of social media distracts students, harms their concentration, and exposes them to negative content, potentially leading to poor academic performance,” stressed standout performer, Jowang Kelle from Lagachod Primary School.

Martha John Gain and the Pibor Girls’ Primary School team argued the opposite: that social media gives girls the confidence to speak out on important issues and take on leadership roles.

“The initiative was all about providing a safe space and empowering young people to lead discussions about critical issues that matter to them and to promote positive change,” explained UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer, Christopher Okello.

“We leave today with stronger youth voices against violence, abduction, and cattle raiding, along with heightened awareness of conflict’s impact on education and development,” concluded Ogebo Omot Ochan, Greater Pibor Acting Chief Administrator.

– on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Source: APO – Report:

The High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the Republic of Seychelles, H.E. Dr. Zokey Ahad, met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. Barry Faure, on Tuesday, 21 May 2026, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy.

During the cordial meeting, both sides discussed existing bilateral cooperation as well as pending Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, which the two parties expressed their shared commitment to formalise within the course of this year. The discussions also highlighted the valuable contribution of the Bangladeshi diaspora currently residing and working in Seychelles, with whom the High Commissioner is expected to engage during his visit.

H.E. Dr. Zokey Ahad and Minister Faure also exchanged views on matters relating to multilateral cooperation and ongoing engagements within the framework of the United Nations.

– on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Republic of Seychelles.