AfDB, European Bank To Bridge $2.5tn Africa’s Financing Gap

The African Development Bank Group and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday to promote sustainable private sector development in Africa.

In a statement issued by its Communication and External Relations Department, the AfDB said, “The MoU will help catalyse new sources of financing to help bridge the $2.5tn annual financing gap for development in Africa.

“This gap requires that development finance institutions work in partnership.”

The bank stated that under this partnership, the AfDB and the EBRD would capitalise on their respective

expertise and experience, with a particular focus on climate change, green and resilient infrastructure and capital markets development.

“They will also work on improving business environments, bolstering the real economy and mobilising private sector investment,” the AfDB stated.

It observed that COVID-19 was threatening progress made towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and was exacerbating the debt vulnerability of many African countries.

The bank stated that sustainable private sector development would be key to recovery and prosperity across the continent.

AfDB’s President, Akinwumi Adesina, after signing the memorandum with his counterpart, EBRD President,

Odile Renaud-Basso, was quoted as saying, “The new partnership agreement between our two institutions will pave the way for us to do more together, especially in supporting the growth of Africa’s private sector.

“The impact of COVID-19 on government resources is huge and we need to mobilise more private resources to help African countries build back stronger.”

On his part, Renaud-Basso, said, “The COVID-19 crisis has made the need for better and ever closer collective action even more urgent.

“Collaboration between the EBRD and the African Development Bank has grown from strength to strength over the years in the region.”