The President of the African
Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Adesina
Akinwumi, has named an auditorium at the headquarters of the bank in Abidjan,
Ivory Coast, to honour late Babacar Ndiaye, the group’s fifth elected president,
reports ITRealms.
Ndiaye, ITRealms gathered was the
Bank Group's fifth elected President, who served two terms between 1985 and
1995, and passed away on July 13, 2017 in Senegal.
In an intensely emotional
tribute, Adesina said in Abidjan, that Ndiaye who is fondly referred to as AfDB
papa and ambassador for Africa’s development, as AfDB icon, a father and mentor to everyone and who emphatically
launched the career of the Bank Group's current President.
“He inspired
us. In losing him, Africa has lost one of its best sons," he
asserted and underlined the personal ties between late Ndiaye and his
predecessor, recalling that he knew Ndiaye when he worked for the West Africa
Rice Development Association (WADRA), which was then based in Bouaké, Côte
d'Ivoire.
"Babacar Ndiaye was charismatic, and left an indelible mark on our continent. His legacy is vast, because he always saw the big picture. He was quite simply magnificent," Adesina said, stressin that during the campaign for the AfDB presidency, he naturally went to see him in Dakar.
"Babacar Ndiaye was charismatic, and left an indelible mark on our continent. His legacy is vast, because he always saw the big picture. He was quite simply magnificent," Adesina said, stressin that during the campaign for the AfDB presidency, he naturally went to see him in Dakar.
“He welcomed me
warmly. I took the opportunity to tell him about my vision for the High 5s. He agreed right away, and told me, 'That's what Africa
needs to transform itself,'" Adesina revealed.
ITRealms recalls that Ndiaye had arrived at the institution in 1965 as part of the first group of African managers, he climbed the organisational ladder to become Division Chief, Director, Vice-President for Finance, and then President in 1985. Babacar Ndiaye was the first AfDB President to be re-elected to a second term of office.
Under his leadership, the pan-African financial institution obtained its first Triple-A rating in 1984.
The former President was the force behind the increase in the Bank's capital in 1987, which jumped from approximately US $6 billion to $23 billion, a 200% increase, after approving the process of opening the Bank's capital to non-African countries. He was also responsible for bringing the Bank into the international financial market.
"Babacar Ndiaye accomplished tremendous things for the AfDB and for Africa. He always advocated for excellence. He made the AfDB a credible and respected institution internationally," stated Donald Kaberuka, former AfDB President (2005-2015), in a message read on his behalf by Victor Oladokun, AfDB Director for Communication and External Relations.
ITRealms recalls that Ndiaye had arrived at the institution in 1965 as part of the first group of African managers, he climbed the organisational ladder to become Division Chief, Director, Vice-President for Finance, and then President in 1985. Babacar Ndiaye was the first AfDB President to be re-elected to a second term of office.
Under his leadership, the pan-African financial institution obtained its first Triple-A rating in 1984.
The former President was the force behind the increase in the Bank's capital in 1987, which jumped from approximately US $6 billion to $23 billion, a 200% increase, after approving the process of opening the Bank's capital to non-African countries. He was also responsible for bringing the Bank into the international financial market.
"Babacar Ndiaye accomplished tremendous things for the AfDB and for Africa. He always advocated for excellence. He made the AfDB a credible and respected institution internationally," stated Donald Kaberuka, former AfDB President (2005-2015), in a message read on his behalf by Victor Oladokun, AfDB Director for Communication and External Relations.
Remmy Nweke/ED, Ops
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