Outgoing President of the African Bank Development Group (AfDB), Dr Donald Kaberuka has received an award for esteemed service and leadership in promoting the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The award was handed to Dr Kaberuka on Saturday at the 33rd NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC), by Chairperson of the HSGOC and President of Senegal, Macky Sall. President Sall commended Dr Kaberuka for his dedication and commitment to Africa’s development.  He wished him well in his future endeavors and hoped that he will continue to serve the African Union and its agenda. “In particular, we have the confidence that he will remain dedicated to the NEPAD Agenda”, President Sall said.  

Accepting the NEPAD Award of Recognition, Dr Kaberuka emphasised his dedication was to see the NEPAD vision become a reality.  He explained that in the 10 years that he was president of the bank, the implementation of the NEPAD agenda had been a priority, especially with regard to NEPAD’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africc (PIDA). He reminded the HSGOC to continue focusing on Africa’s regional integration and to source funding for various infrastructure initiatives.

Dr Kaberuka was appointed Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in Rwanda in October 1997. He served in that position for eight years. In July 2005, Kaberuka was elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), a position which he held until 2015. Dr Kaberuka has received acclaim for modernising the bank and making it more responsive to African countries’ changing needs. In addition to scaling up infrastructure funding, he has also focused on improving the competitiveness of Africa’s private sector, among many other initiatives