By Sheku Putka Kamara
A delegation of seven Executive Directors from the African Development Bank (AfDB) is in Sierra Leone on a five-day consultation mission aimed at deepening the partnership between the Bank and Sierra Leone.
The team which is led by Mette Knudsen from Denmark include Jonathan Nzayikorera from Rwanda, Rufus N. Darkortey from Liberia, Takaaki Nomoto from Japan, Dr. Martin Kipping from Germany, Dr. Nomfundo Ngwenya from South Africa and Dr. Samson Oyebode Oyetunde from Nigeria.
The mission of the visit forms part of the Bank’s annual work program and underscores its commitment to maintaining robust engagement with Regional Member Countries, including Sierra Leone.
The AfDB team will meet with senior government officials, various ministries, departments and agencies, development partners, integrity institutions, private sector, youth, women an civil society.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura had earlier welcomed the team and stated that the visit is a testament of the country’s commitment to collaborating with the Bank to foster regional economic growth, development and cooperation across Africa.
Currently, the Bank’s portfolio in Sierra Leone focuses on enhancing access to quality infrastructure and rural electrification, strengthening the agricultural sector, promoting inclusive growth and job creation through the private sector and supporting climate-smart development.
Notable projects include the Three Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project which has enabled 550,000 people in Bo, Kenema and Makeni to gain access to portable water and provided 46,851 students with access to modern toilets. The bank is also supporting the rehabilitation and upgrading of major roads in Sierra Leone as part of multinational Manor River Union Road Development and Transport Facilitation Program.
The AfDB team had earlier visited Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation including its agencies (Guma and SALWACO) and others.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Wednesday, March 20th, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
