Rwanda set to host the 2014 African Bank meetings

Finance Minster: Amb. Claver Gatete

Rwanda has been is set to host the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meetings for the first time.

The agreement to have these meetings held in Kigali were sealed after the Government of Rwanda and AfDB signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which Rwanda agreed to host the Bank’s 49th annual meetings.

The meetings are scheduled for May 19 – 23, 2014 and will attract the bank’s stakeholders from 77 countries both African and non-African. It is also expected to attract 3, 500 present and more than 4, 000 virtual participants.

According to the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Claver Gatete, 2014 marks a mile stone both for the AfDB and Rwanda.

“The bank will be celebrating 50 years since its existence while Rwanda will also celebrate 20 years since its liberation but also 40 years since it joined the continental Bank,” Minister Gatete said.

Explaining the Bank decision to hold its meetings in Rwanda Cecilia Akintomide, AfDB vice President and Secretary General said that Rwanda has the right development story.

“Rwanda has registered development achievements that provide hope for the future and can be emulated elsewhere,” Akintomide pointed out. She further noted that Rwanda had been evaluated alongside other potential hosts and its development track record impressive.

Since its inception in 1964, AfDB has managed a partnership portfolio of almost US$ 500 billion in both private and public sectors where it focused on agriculture, infrastructure and energy.

Rwanda set to host the 2014 African Bank meetings