Mauritanian national, Dr Sidi Ould Tah has assumed office as the ninth President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group.
Dr Tah was sworn in on Monday in the presence of delegates officially begining his five year term as president of the pan-African lender.
The 60 year old succeeds Dr Akinwumi Adesina who has retired after completing two terms.
Dr Tah was elected on May 28, 2025with over 76pc of shareholder votes, the highest margin for a first-term president in the Bank’s history.
In his inaugural speech, Dr Tah outlined four priorities which will guide his presidency in the first 100 days of office.
These include listening intently, launching a fast-track reform agenda, deepening partnerships, and accelerating real solutions as the core priorities.
“Africa must look North, South, East and West—not to imitate, but to draw wisdom and strength from every direction while defining its own course. Like a navigator guided by the compass, the Bank should help Africa navigate the megatrends toward increased self-reliance, ambition, and agency,” he said.
He also committed to expand the AfDB’s partnership to new players such as sovereign funds and pensions funds.
He previously served as Minister of Economy and Finance of Mauritania between 2008 and 2015, and Mauritania’s Governor on the Boards of the African Development Bank, World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank, among others.
Dr. Ould Tah takes charge of the bank which current has $318 billion in capital, AAA credit ratings maintained for 10 consecutive years, and the world’s highest transparency score for a sovereign portfolio, at 98.8pc.
Over the past decade, the Bank has approved $102 billion in development financing.
