The African Development Bank has appointed Osamu Kawanishi as Director of the Asia External Representation Office as of 16th January 2024.
Kawanishi, a Japanese national, brings nearly three decades of experience in development, climate finance, trade, foreign exchange and reserve management, since beginning his public service career at the Japan Ministry of Finance in 1994.
He has served in a variety of senior positions at the ministry since 2011, including Director for the Office of Development Policy Coordination, Director for Tax Treaties and International Affairs, Director for the Office of Foreign Exchange Reserve Management, Counselor of International Negotiations Divisions, and Director of the Planning and Administration Division of Customs and Tariff Bureau.
For nearly half of his career, Kawanishi has undertaken international assignments outside Japan, including with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2012-2015) and the United Kingdom's Treasury (2001-2003), as Senior Policy Analyst of Climate Finance Unit and Policy Advisor of the European Union (EU) and International Tax Team respectively. He also served as First Secretary of the Japanese Permanent Mission in Geneva in charge of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on trade facilitation and services (2005-2008).
Kawanishi has co-authored several publications on mobilizing climate finance investment from institutional investors and organized numerous events including the Green Investment Financing Forum. As a Japanese delegate in charge of WTO negotiations on trade facilitation and services, he played an instrumental role in moving forward the negotiations on trade facilitation, which paved the way for the conclusion of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Kawanishi holds a B.A. degree in Law from Tokyo University (Japan), an M.Phil. in European Studies from Cambridge University (UK), and a Magister Juris in European and Comparative Law from Oxford University (UK).
Commenting on his appointment, Kawanishi said: "I am humbled by the confidence bestowed upon me and am grateful to President Adesina for this appointment. I look forward to working closely with him, the Board and Senior Management team, in order to continue building on the excellent work of my predecessors to advance the principal objectives of the External Representation Office, namely: external partnership and dialogue, knowledge dissemination and exchange, and business and investment promotion."
African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina said: "I am pleased to appoint Mr. Osamu Kawanishi as Director, Asia External Representation Office. Mr. Kawanishi brings to this role extensive international affairs experience in the fields of development policy, climate change and trade, among others. His vast international affairs experience will be a key asset in enabling the Bank to engage more actively with key stakeholders in its Asian member countries, and other countries in Asia with a view to enhancing dialogue and promoting innovative approaches to mobilize necessary resources to support the implementation of the Bank's Strategy and Africa's development agenda".
