COVID-19: Ramaphosa, Sirleaf Laud AfDB’s Adesina For Visionary Leadership

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News Investigators/ South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa and former Liberian President, Ellen Sirleaf have commended Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), for his visionary leadership on COVID-19.

The Communications and External Relations Department in a statement on Tuesday said the two leaders commended Mr. Adesina for his support to the continent in a letter addressed to the bank’s president.

Mr. Ramaphosa expressed appreciation for the bank’s commitment of 26 million dollars for the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and support in the procurement of critical medical supplies on the continent and other financial assistance to member countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that AfDB inaugurated 10 billion dollars Crisis Response Facility to support Africa and to address the pandemic and also three billion dollars “Fight COVID-19” social bond.

The statement also quoted Mr. Ramaphosa as saying “through these initiatives, the Bank is poised to deploy funds to provide African governments and the private sector with access to financing to reduce the economic and social impacts of COVID-19.

“I commended the AfDB for taking these bold initiatives and for the role played by the bank under Adesina’s leadership during this challenging period,” Ramaphosa said.

Also Mrs. Sirleaf was quoted as saying “the leaders of Africa, and I dare say the world, have recognised the important changes that you have made in the AfDB, reorganisation of management and restructuring of Bank operations around the High 5s that represent a response to Africa’s more critical development needs.”

According to the statement, while acknowledging the Bank’s highest ever capital replenishment in 2019, Sirleaf sympathised with AfDB president on the pandemic which has affected the economy of the continent.

“Africa respects your (Adesina) intellect and commitment and is pleased that through your leadership our premier institution has received worldwide acknowledgement and recognition for high-quality performance and impacting results.” Mrs. Sirleaf added. (NAN)

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