Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania Elected African Development Bank President

 Mauritanian economist Sidi Ould Tah was elected the ninth president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) on May 29, 2025, during the bank’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Tah, a former Mauritanian Minister of Economy and Finance, secured 76.18% of votes in the third round, defeating Zambian economist Samuel Maimbo (20.26%) and Senegal’s Amadou Hott (3.55%). He succeeds Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina, whose tenure ends in August 2025, and will assume office on September 1 for a five-year term.

Tah’s election followed a competitive process involving five candidates, with his 35 years of experience in African finance, including a decade leading the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), earning him strong support. At BADEA, he quadrupled the bank’s balance sheet, secured a AAA rating, and launched a $1 billion callable capital program.

His vision for the AfDB focuses on resource mobilization, financial architecture reform, leveraging Africa’s youth, and building climate-resilient infrastructure. Tah emphasized enhancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and balancing renewable and conventional energy to support industrialization.

The election comes as the AfDB faces challenges, including a potential $500 million cut in U.S. funding under President Trump’s administration. Tah has proposed engaging Gulf countries as alternative backers. His diplomatic skills, fluency in French, English, Arabic, and Wolof, and support from diverse African regions give him continental legitimacy. The AfDB, with $318 billion in capital, is pivotal to Africa’s development, and Tah’s leadership will be tested by economic disruptions and climate pressures. His election marks a historic first for Mauritania, elevating its global influence.