OREANDA-NEWS. African Development Fund 13 is on track and on target: this was the collective message when ADF Deputies and AfDB Group Senior Management convened in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on November 11 to 13, 2015 to review its progress half-way through its implementation. They were joined at this Mid-Term Review by Ministers from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Malawi – all ADF-eligible countries – as well as observers from International Financial Institutions. The meetings were chaired by Richard Manning, the ADF Coordinator.

In his opening remarks, AfDB Group President Akinwunmi Adesina thanked donors for their continued support to Africa. Adesina acknowledged that while much has been accomplished, a lot more needs to be done, not least in focusing the AfDB Group’s current 2013-2022 Ten Year Strategy more sharply on the five major development outcomes (“the High 5s”) of Lighting up and powering Africa, Feeding Africa, Industrialising Africa, Integrating Africa, and Improving the quality of life for the people of Africa. “We will do more, we will do better, we will do it more efficiently,” he said.

A number of key issues were discussed, including the findings of an independent evaluation of the ADF-12 and ADF-13 commitments, the Fund’s operational priorities, and the Bank Group’s institutional effectiveness. The meeting discussed progress on the Gender, Fragility and Transition Support agendas. It was also an opportunity to discuss the ADF resource allocation, and innovative approaches for ADF-14. Participants agreed that ADF is changing the lives of millions of African people, and that – as the Fund is making such a difference – they will strongly support ADF-14 to continue to address fragility and build resilience on the continent. 

ADF Deputies commended the Bank for its successful return to Abidjan, and welcomed progress made in prioritizing its operations. There was consensus that the Bank Group needs to enhance its efforts on decentralization, internal capacity, mainstreaming fragility and results delivery. Deputies appreciated testimonies from representatives of Regional Member Countries who affirmed their support for the Bank’s work in meeting their ongoing challenges.

Participants visited the Gourou Integrated Watershed Management Project in four districts of Abidjan. With an ADF grant of $32 million, the project has reached 2.8 million people.  To counter serious annual flooding and the health and economic problems it brought, the Fund supported the rehabilitation and development of infrastructure for sanitation and storm water drainage (dam construction and repair, canal development and repair). “Now we have nothing to fear,” said one housewife, who met the Deputies. “This place has now become more attractive and clean.”

About the African Development Fund

The African Development Fund (ADF) is the concessional window of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group. Its aim is to contribute to poverty reduction and economic and social development in low-income African countries. It was established in 1972, and became operational in 1974. Since its inception, the Fund has made over USD 40 billion of loans and grants. The 40 ADF-eligible countries range from those at the threshold of becoming credit-worthy, to middle-income economies, to those that remain fragile and need special assistance for basic levels of service delivery.

In 2013, participants agreed on a replenishment amount of USD 7.3 billion for the 2014 to 2016 cycle, of which USD 1 billion would be dedicated to a special facility for states in fragile situations. The replenishment included donor contributions of USD 5.8 billion, representing a slight increase over their contributions for ADF-12 (2011-2013).