News & Events

14/03/2012 - The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) have recently signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening the efforts of both institutions towards enhancing capacity building and customs modernization in Africa. While acknowledging that “many African Customs administrations are lagging behind others”, the World Customs Organization’s Secretary General, Kunio Mikuriya, is optimistic about Africa’s ability to strengthen its customs system. “Many African customs administrations have obtained political support for customs modernization initiatives,” he said in an interview.

Categories: Regional Integration, Partnerships

31/01/2012 - The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) will work together to enhance the capacity of customs administrations in Africa. The declaration was made yesterday evening in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions, on the margins of the 18th African Union Summit.

Categories: Ethiopia, China, Regional Integration, Partnerships

11/11/2011 - Enhanced linkage of regional markets, support to regional research and training centers, capacity building, as well as regional transport infrastructure are among key provisions of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB’s) newly approved strategy, which is designed to strengthen regional integration in West Africa.

Categories: Regional Integration, Economic & Financial Governance

15/07/2011 - The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €60-million loan for the construction of a new container terminal at the Lome Port in Togo.

Categories: Togo, Regional Integration

27/06/2011 - The Southern Africa region loomed large on the Bank’s operational radar in 2009, when loan and grant approvals to the countries climbed to USD 5.44 billion (UA 3.40 billion), from USD 769.44 million (UA 475.9 million) the previous year; representing over 600 percent increase. The numbers were propelled by two budget support loans amounting to USD 2.42 billion (UA1.51 billion) approved for Botswana and Mauritius, to help mitigate the impact of the global economic and financial crisis in these countries.

Categories: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Regional Integration

11/05/2011 - The Report, titled, “The BRICs in North Africa: Changing the Name of the Game?” says the group, which comprised Brazil, Russia, India and China during the time covered by the report (South Africa joined in 2011) is drawn to the region due to a growing need for raw materials and minerals; an amenable investment and regulatory climate; its relatively large population and overall GDP; low production and labour costs, and geographical proximity to European and Middle East markets.

Categories: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Brazil, India, China, Regional Integration

09/05/2011 - African economies have made important strides in improving their economic environments in recent years, but much remains to be achieved to ensure that recent strong growth continues. In particular, African governments must better harness the region’s resources through stronger integration into international trade and finance, improved educational systems, enhanced entrepreneurial opportunities for women and developing their tourism sectors.

Categories: South Africa, Regional Integration

06/05/2011 - On 4 May 2011 at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town, the African Development Bank (AfDB) participated in a session entitled “One Region: Africa – Three Challenges. From Insights to Action”.

Categories: South Africa, Infrastructure, Regional Integration

06/05/2011 - These are the African Development Bank (AfDB) comments on the session entitled “Bridging Borders: Fostering Regional Integration” at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town on 6 May 2011.

Categories: South Africa, Regional Integration, Infrastructure