- Staff Council Symposium - September 9th, 2024
Good morning to you all.
Happy 60 th Anniversary!
Happy 60 th Birthday!
Welcome to the first day of the Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of the African Development Bank. I am so delighted that you are here today.
Sixty years ago, the African Development Bank first opened its doors here in Abidjan. Those were the days of very humble beginning when the Bank had very few staff. By the time it started lending operations in 1966, staff strength had grown to just ten. By 1970, that number had expanded ten times over to a total of 110 staff members.
Today, as we celebrate the 60 th Anniversary of the Bank, the staff complement has grown to more than 2,000 members, spread across offices in 41 African countries.
As we planned for 60 th Anniversary of the Bank, I specifically directed that we should have, as part of the celebration, a special event that celebrates the people who do the work of the Bank: the staff!
I would therefore like to thank the Chairman of the Staff Council, Foster Ofosu, and the entire members of the Staff Council for putting together the event of today.
Sixty years in life is not a small accomplishment. It should be celebrated with a big bash.
Sixty years is always a celebration of how every year of every decade has added to the bountifulness and blessings of life.
The same applies to the African Development Bank as it celebrates a 60 th Anniversary of what has been a full dedication to supporting and developing Africa. What we celebrate today is the selfless, committed, and passionate work done on the ground, in member countries and communities across Africa, and in the lives of millions of people. That is worth celebrating!
The work of the Bank is multifaceted and includes many people and many moving parts. From visiting countries to prepare project and develop projects, conducting appraisals, supervising projects and evaluating projects, it is you the staff that do it all.
From developing projects for the youth, for women, from schools to hospitals, from farms to markets, from roads to transport corridors, from supporting businesses to supporting policy makers to make better decisions, from tackling debt issues to fighting climate change, you … the staff of this African and global institution make it all happen.
For every project on the ground, an entire ecosystem of the Bank provides support, from task managers to environmental and social impact assessments, financial management, procurement, security, preparation of Board documents, evaluation, audits, monitoring, results.
Ever since we launched the One Bank model, we now work synergistically across complexes, regional, and country offices. The work we do is facilitated by ICT, and interpreters and translators that help us operate optimally and effectively in both official languages of the Bank, English and French. Our work is strengthened, by oversight units, including ethics, audit, independent evaluation, and independent review mechanism, helps give a voice to people, individuals, and communities, impacted by the Bank’s projects.
The African Development Bank is a responsible lender and works closely with civil society and communities, so that all voices can be heard, and respect accorded to everyone.
Our diversity is our strength, with staff from 77 countries. This diversity, African and non-African, with a multicultural fusion, allows us to look at issues from a multiplicity of enriched perspectives. Over the past six decades, from general service staff to locally recruited staff, to professional staff, managers, directors and vice presidents, we collectively deliver a tremendous impact across Africa for the bank.
From our first projects in Sierra Leone and Kenya 1967, our work now supports over 6,575 projects.
From just $250 million when we started, the African Development Bank’s capital now stands at $318 billion!
In 60 years, the Bank has provided over $184 billion to support Africa’s development and growth.
The evidence of our impact is all around and evident for all to see.
Our work over the past 8 years alone has impacted on over 400 million people.
You have much to be proud of. The Bank’s work has been always applauded by the African Union, which has stated that achieving our High5s will allow Africa to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.
In addition, the Bank has been applauded for its works in fragile environments. Whether it is in areas of conflict such as Sudan, South Sudan, or helping countries facing fragility, the bank has always been present. When others leave, the Bank stays. Right here in Cote d’Ivoire, when the country came out of civil war, the Bank was right beside it and supporting its rebuilding efforts. Our support allowed the country transition from a fragile state to a country that remarkably now accesses the commercial lending window of the Bank.
You the staff, worked tirelessly and bravely in difficult environments, including Somalia and Sudan, to secure debt arrears clearance and putting yourself and your families at risk.
Today, as we celebrate the Bank at 60, I would like to salute and highly commend the Bank staff for your exemplary dedication.
You make the Bank proud. And I am very proud of you.
Today, in this hall, we have staff who have served and retired from the Bank. You will always be a part of the African Development Bank family. Once you have worked at the African Development Bank, something stays with you: a sense of pride of working with the institution. Nostalgia for the hard and rewarding work we all do daily, the recollections of colleagues you worked with, and the sense of collective purpose and mission on behalf of Africa, a continent we love so dearly.
As I have remarked glowingly in the past – when asked what I will miss the most when my tenure as President of the African Development Bank comes to an end – I did not miss a beat. I said: The staff. This also applies to the thousands of staff that worked at the bank long before my arrival. Your legacy continues.
I commend all past Bank staff for laying strong foundations and the present Bank staff for building and laying new foundations.
Foundations for a more impactful Bank.
Foundations for a more efficient Bank.
Foundations for supporting a brighter future for Africa.
I commend the families, spouses and children of staff, who cope with the long absences of loved ones who work tirelessly at the Bank; who travel frequently and constantly and spend a significant time away from home. Your support at home has made it easier for them to perform their work and responsibilities here in Abidjan and in more than 41 country offices. We thank you and we salute you.
There is still much to do as we support the staff of the Bank. As you know, I am strongly committed to ensuring that General Service staff are promoted. We will continue to do everything possible to make the bank the employer of choice.
That is why our Board of Directors approved the 2021-2025 People’s Strategy, which provides a compelling employee value proposition that offers staff members stimulating work, compensation and continuous learning. Our goal is to attract and retain first-class staff with the skills and competencies needed to continue to build upon the successes of the Bank, and to meet evolving future needs.
I am pleased that since the Presidential directive I issued in April 2022, it has led to the promotion of 100 General Service staff in 2023. We will continue to refine and improve opportunities for upward movement at all levels.
Regardless of your work at the Bank, you are important.
Please join hands with the persons around you and say, “you are important”.
Yes, you are!
You will always be important to me, as your President.
You will always be important to the African Development Bank.
You will always be important to Africa.
Thank you for your selfless work.
Thank you for being a part of history in the making.
Thank you for making a difference in Africa.
Happy 60 th Anniversary!
Thank you very much.
