In a move to reaffirm its commitment to Central Africa’s development course, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has inaugurated an ultramodern regional office building in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Joseph Dion Ngute, Prime Minister of Cameroon, and Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, the Bank Group’s Vice-President for the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex, led the opening ceremony that was held on Friday, last week.
It was attended by Cameroonian government officials, diplomats, representatives of international and subregional bodies, as well as the private sector and civil society.
During the ceremony, Prime Minister Ngute formally handed over the indenture covering the 4,000 square meter land donated by the government for the new regional office building to Akin-Olugbade.
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Situated in the Golf district, the six-storey regional office building is equipped with 130 workstations, several meeting rooms and a clinic, among other things.
Prime Minister Ngute praised the Bank’s decision to establish the regional hub in Cameroon.
“This inauguration demonstrates the strength of the relationship between Central Africa and the African Development Bank. The regional office will enable the Bank to get closer to the realities of our sub-region and to provide more than in the past a specific support in line with the expectations of our populations,” he said.
Akin-Olugbade highlighted that the regional office will strengthen dialogue with regional economic communities, development partners and national authorities.
“It will expedite the implementation of our regional integration initiatives in Central Africa and promote business development with the private sector, a crucial element for inclusive accelerated growth and development,” she emphasized.
The Central Africa regional office is one of six operated by the Bank globally, including one in Asia.
