The former World Bank President, Mr. Wolfensohn, gave a lecture on Friday in Tunis on the theme "Africa in a Global World: Partnerships for Success", as part of the Bank Group's Eminent Speakers Programme.

Upon his arrival in Tunis on Thursday, Mr. Wolfensohn paid a courtesy call on the African Development Bank President, Donald Kaberuka, and held a working session with experts from the Chief Economist's complex.

Mr. Wolfensohn emphasized the critical importance of partnerships for Africa to achieve economic growth and sustainable development, within the complexities of the challenges and opportunities provided by globalization. He also underscored the capital importance for African countries to pool resources and work toward integration.

The AfDB Eminent Speakers' Program was launched in 2006 by the AfDB to enable renowned personalities to share their knowledge of contemporary development issues facing Africa with Bank management and staff alongside development partners.

In 2007, 3 world-renowned experts discussed in Tunis key development issues for Africa under the Bank's Eminent Speakers' program. In July 2007, Professor Paul Collier of Oxford University gave a talk on post conflict recovery. Also in July, Sir Nicholas Stern of the London School of Economics addressed the problem of climate change. Finally, in September 2007, Mr. Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the Francophonie and former President of Senegal, examined the role of regional integration.

Other renowned personalities who have taken part in the AfDB Eminent Speakers' Programme include: Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, first President of the Republic of Zambia; Calistous Juma, Professor, Harvard University, Boston; Michel Camdessus, former Managing Director of the IMF; Kingsley Y. Amoako, former UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of ECA; Benjamin W. Mkapa, former President of the Republic of Tanzania...