Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Farai Mabeza
30 March 2004
Harare — THE government of the Republic of Gabon has made a huge financial donation of US$800 000 to the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).
A three-member government delegation was in the country last week to sign the memorandum of understanding at the ACBF head office in Harare.
Led by the oil rich West African nation's Minister of Finance, Mr Senturel Ngoma Madoungou, the delegation also included Mr Leopold Guy Azouadelly, the national secretary of the Secretariat for Capacity Building in Gabon, and Mr Christian Alain Pandzou, the coordinator of the same organisation.
The signing of the memorandum of understanding was necessary in order to allow for the payment of part of the donation, which the government of Gabon has already made available into the foundation's account.
Dr Soumana Sako, ACBF executive secretary said the donation, coming from an African country, was significant and demonstrates the support and confidence governments on the continent had in ACBF as an African institution.
"Our emphasis is on Africans taking a lead in the leadership and ownership of this institution," he stressed.
He further stated that he was not surprised that Gabon had come up with such a large donation for the foundation taking into account the role that country's government wants to play in the development of Africa.
"We will make sure we use the contribution efficiently so that Africa takes its rightful place in world development," he assured members of the Gabonese delegation.
Mr Ngoma Madoungou said he hoped that all African countries would join the foundation and help support African initiatives for development projects on the continent.
Gabon has enjoyed support from the foundation totalling US$6 million to date in terms of the projects funded by ACBF.
Dr Sako dismissed the notion that those countries that supported his organisation financially only stood to benefit saying some of the biggest beneficiaries were not even members of the foundation.
The foundation is also playing both an active and subtle role in supporting the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad).
Zimbabwe has also contributed US$500 million to the foundation.
ACBF has extended financial support towards the Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit within the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the National Economic Consultative Forum and the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Southern Africa.
There are presently 30 African nations making up the membership of ACBF.
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