Zambia Fully Supports AfDB President Tah’s Leadership – President Hichilema

President Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia is in full support of the leadership of African Development Bank (AfDB) president Sidi Ould Tah, who was elected in May this year.

Dr Tah, a Mauritanian, paid a courtesy call on President Hichilema at State House today. “I wish to congratulate you for the assumption of the presidency of African Development Bank, which is our bank. “You did so having gone through a very competitive process. You were selected as the best candidate; we had put our own citizen, Dr Samuel Maimbo,” the President told Dr Tah, who was accompanied by senior officials of the AfDB.

He assured Dr Tah that once he emerged the winner, “you became our AfDB president and you have our full support.”

“You can count on Zambia’s full support in aspects of the work that you will be doing as AfDB president. You should have no second thoughts as where Zambia stands; Zambia is fully in your support.

“We want to encourage you to work on the necessary reforms in the bank. But more importantly, to deepen the bank’s fundraising efforts to make capital available to member States of the bank. By working together, we can accelerate the drive to reform the global financial architecture so that there can be fair capital for African countries and more capital in-flows into our economies,” the President said.

Dr Tah expressed gratitude to President Hichilema for continuing to support AfDB in its growth endeavours. He further congratulated the President and the Zambians on the socio-economic progress that has been recorded in the country over the past four years. “It is impressive to see the number of reforms which are ongoing. They are impressive by all means. Also the macro-economic indicators have been impressive over the past four years, regardless of factors such as the Ukraine – Russia war, drought, Covid.

“I would like also to reiterate the support of the African Development Bank to Zambia and our readiness to continue to support all the developmental activities in the country through the various windows,” said Dr Tah.