President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, has urged the international community to demonstrate stronger solidarity and commitment towards the continent’s development as preparations intensify for the African Development Fund’s (ADF) 17th replenishment (ADF-17) pledging session scheduled for December in London.
Dr. Ould Tah made the appeal at the conclusion of a two-day consultative meeting held in Lusaka, Zambia, which brought together ADF Deputies and representatives from 37 beneficiary countries. He stressed that the Fund serves as a vehicle for measurable investment rather than traditional aid.
According to him, the replenishment “is not just about aid, but about investment with measurable returns. The ADF remains our collective instrument to unlock private capital, foster resilience, and drive inclusive growth”.
During the discussions, the Zambian government announced a $5 million contribution towards ADF-17, reaffirming its support for the Fund’s goal of promoting sustainable growth across Africa’s most vulnerable economies.
Delegates at the Lusaka meeting also visited several ADF-supported projects, including the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia and the Science and Technology Education Project at the University of Zambia. These visits, Dr. Ould Tah noted, showcased how concessional financing is helping to boost food security, create jobs, and empower young Africans.
He encouraged all participating nations to intensify engagements ahead of the London meeting to ensure that policy issues are settled before the final round of pledges. “Even as we leave Lusaka, let us continue with bilateral engagements to conclude all discussions on policy commitments. Our meeting in London should focus fully on pledges and partnership,” he said.
The AfDB President commended ADF Deputies for their constructive participation throughout the consultation and expressed optimism that the London session would mark a defining moment for Africa’s development financing. “Let us carry with us the spirit of Lusaka—one of unity, pragmatism, and shared determination that will make ADF-17 an emblematic replenishment for Africa,” he added.
The African Development Fund, the concessional financing arm of the AfDB Group, supports 37 low-income and fragile member countries across the continent. Its interventions focus on infrastructure, regional integration, private sector growth, good governance, and resilience-building to lift millions out of poverty.
At the meeting, the Bank presented the ADF-16 Delivery and Results Report, highlighting major achievements from 2024. These include providing clean water to 2.9 million people, connecting over 500,000 individuals, half of them women, to electricity, improving health services for 1.2 million people, supporting 24,000 agribusinesses (more than one-third led by women), and training 520,000 farmers in climate-smart practices. The Fund also rehabilitated 614 kilometres of roads, supported the creation of more than 560,000 jobs, and expanded ICT access to an additional 1.3 million people.
With the London pledging session fast approaching, expectations are high that ADF-17 will secure the resources needed to sustain Africa’s progress in the face of economic and climate-related challenges, while advancing the continent’s shared vision for inclusive growth and resilience.
