What: 60th Anniversary commemoration
Who: African Development Bank Group and partners
When: 9-10 September 2024
Where: Abidjan and online
The African Development Bank will mark its 60th anniversary from September 9 to 10 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's economic capital under the theme "60 Years of Making a Difference."
The diamond jubilee celebration will showcase the Bank's journey since its establishment on 10 September 1964, its transformative role in Africa's development, and its vision for the continent's future.
The African Development Bank's 60th anniversary celebrations will begin on Monday 9 September with a staff event. It will feature traditional music and cultural performances; discussions on the Bank's institutional footprint; an exhibition; a seminar with community stakeholders (including students, young innovators and entrepreneurs, and civil society); and a Staff Council Symposium.
The celebrations on the second day, 10 September, will include several events reflecting on the Bank's key milestones and its impact on Africa's economic development since its inception.
Other notable speakers on this day include Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group Ms Nialé Kaba, who will deliver a welcome statement, and a keynote address by president of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina.
The day will also feature traditional performances and goodwill messages from the Bank's partners and recognition of the AfDB 60 logo design winner, designed by a member of the Bank's staff, following an internal competition.
The African Development Bank Group will also launch a Youth Community of Practice (Y-CoP) and an Intergenerational Dialogue on Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa. The Y-COP is a new knowledge hub platform for African and global youth to engage in critical thinking and peer-to-peer learning while identifying evidence-based youth solutions to build resilient and sustainable growth in Africa.
For six decades, the African Development Bank has been at the forefront of Africa's development.
In the last decade alone, the African Development Bank Group's High 5 operational priorities have helped 400 million Africans gain access to electricity, clean water, and adequate sanitation. The High 5s: Feed Africa; Light up and Power Africa; Industrialise Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the lives of the people of Africa are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union's Agenda 63.
Visit the 60th anniversary website to follow the festivities on this joyous occasion.
