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Five African Development Bank (AfDB) regional member countries set to join African Development Fund replenishment

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African Development Fund

The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan plan to contribute $1 million each to ADF’s next replenishment cycle

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, May 30, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Five African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) Governors have signed an agreement committing to contribute at least $1 million to the replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional window of the Bank Group.

Under the self-initiated agreement, the five-member constituency—The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan—will contribute to the ADF from its next replenishment cycle in 2025.

With nearly half its client countries as fragile states, the African Development Fund contributes to poverty reduction and economic and social development in least-developed African countries by providing concessional funding for projects and programs.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the African Development Bank Group’s 2023 Annual Meetings in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

The agreement was signed by the African Development Bank Governors or Temporary Governors for the five countries, namely: Seedy Keita, Finance Minister of The Gambia; Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State at the Finance Ministry (signing on behalf of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta); Augustus Flomo, Deputy Minister for Economic Management of Liberia (signing on behalf of Finance Minister Samuel Tweah); Bockarie Kalokoh, Deputy Finance Minister of Sierra Leone (signing on behalf of Finance Minister Sheku Bangura); and Muhammad Bashar Muhammad, Sudan’s Undersecretary of Economic Planning (signing on behalf of Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim).

The agreement highlights domestic revenue mobilization as a priority. It requires member countries to allocate at least $3 million yearly to prop up internal revenue flows, which in turn, will unlock more funds for accelerated development. Another priority area is expanding local private sector-led economic growth through support for small businesses, it said.

They also committed to investing $1 million to improve their shareholdings at the Bank Group.

We must take home-grown initiatives to support our development efforts while leveraging external resources

Altogether, each constituency member will invest at least $8 million annually from their national budget to implement the agreement, which also covers climate mitigation.

Rufus Darkortey, Executive Director for the constituency who witnessed the signing, said the agreement would allow the five countries to implement policies that would bolster economic resilience.

“It is a way of accelerating the pace of development and growth in our respective countries to complement the support we receive from our development partners,” Executive Darkortey said.

Governor Keita said “The agreement was timely and would stimulate domestic revenue mobilization, which has become more critical in countries’ development efforts amid the current global economic headwinds.”

Kalokoh also welcomed the agreement. “It’s all about ensuring that the private sector is strong, and we are showing that commitment by this agreement to dedicate part of the national budget to implement and scale up these initiatives.”

Flomo said Liberia remained committed to the agreement with plans to increase its budget allocation to the selected sectors over time.

“We believe that working to build resilient and address issues such as climate change and contributing to the African Development Fund will help to strengthen the bank and also help ourselves,” he added.

Bashar from Sudan said: “Despite the sad situation in my country, we are committed to the agreement because it is the right step and in line with our development plans.”

Ghana’s Dr. Adam said the agreement aligned with Ghana’s plans to increase domestic revenue from 15% in 2022 to 18.7% by 2026.

“Africa cannot always be at the receiving end, and this is why this agreement comes to play – we must take home-grown initiatives to support our development efforts while leveraging external resources,” he said. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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