Bruxelles, Belgium — The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group President, Donald Kaberuka, on Thursday, April 8, 2010, simultaneously opened all the European Stock Exchanges (NYSE Euronext) at the Brussels Stock Exchange where he rang the opening bell at the Place de la Bourse in the heart of the Belgian capital.

Before signing the guestbook of this European financial institution, President Kaberuka warmly thanked the leadership of the institution for making him the first African to give the starting signal for the Stock Exchange which manages all European financial stock markets. He then highlighted the key strategies and actions of the AfDB to the stock exchange management team and the media.

Mr Kaberuka then attended the opening ceremony of the conference organized by the Crans Montana Forum Foundation from 8-10 April 2010 in Brussels on the theme "Africa after the London and Pittsburgh G20 Summits: New Economic Parameters". The ceremony was held under the patronage of the former Ghanaian President, Jerry John Rawlings. In his speech on the theme "Africa and the Global Crisis: South-South perspective for the future," Mr Kaberuka discussed the major challenges of the aftermath of the financial crisis. He highlighted the need to build new paradigms for the emergence of more equitable interregional partnerships.

It is in such a context, he said, that Africa which possesses a vast potential, would be in a position to give other parts of the world renewed partnership models based on mutual respect while making room for the achievement of viable and sustainable economic growth.

During the ceremony, the president of the Foundation of the Crans Montana Forum officially presented Mr. Kaberuka with the 2010 Award of the Foundation, following the decision by the institution's Board of Directors chaired by Prince von Liechtenstein.