Sidi Ould Tah has been sworn in as the 9th president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group.
He succeeds Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who completed his 10-year tenure on Monday.
“Africa is watching. The youth are waiting. It is time for action,” Tah declared in his inaugural speech.
He laid out an ambitious vision for the continent focused on self-reliance, partnerships, and youth empowerment.
The new president introduced four “cardinal points” to guide the bank’s direction under his leadership.
“Africa must look north, south, east, and west. Not to imitate, but to draw wisdom and strength from every direction while defining its own course,” he said.
Ould Tah emphasized that development and peace are inseparable.
“There is no development without peace, and there is no peace without development,” he said, calling for greater investment in stability alongside economic growth.
He noted that Africa’s resilience during past crises, including the 2008–2009 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, proves its capacity to weather global challenges.
In his first 100 days, Ould Tah stated that he would focus on four key priorities: listening to stakeholders, accelerating institutional reforms, deepening partnerships, and delivering real solutions to unlock Africa’s financial and industrial potential.
He called on the bank to become a “bar that bridges divides, between vision and execution, between public and private, between urgency and bureaucracy.”
“As I assume duty… I am fully confident that Africa will continue being resilient,” he said.
“Together, let us transform Africa’s promise into prosperity. The time for delivery has begun.”
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