Let us drive prosperity for Africa and showcase its immense talent and opportunities to the world, says Hott
As we usher in 2025, Amadou Hott, a seasoned economist and candidate for the presidency of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), extends his heartfelt wishes for a year filled with health, happiness, and impactful achievements. Expressing gratitude for the support accompanying his candidacy, Hott emphasizes that Africa stands at a "historical turning point with tremendous potential despite current challenges."
Hott's extensive experience spans over 25 years in economic policy, development finance, and investment banking. He has held significant positions, including serving as Senegal's Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation from 2019 to 2022, where he played a pivotal role in maintaining economic stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that, he was the Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change, and Green Growth at the AfDB from 2016 to 2019.
In his New Year's message, Hott outlines his strategic priorities aimed at driving sustainable prosperity across the continent: • Mobilizing Additional Resources: Hott underscores the necessity of securing increased funding to support Africa's development initiatives. This aligns with recent calls from the AfDB for a $25 billion replenishment of the African Development Fund to prevent a "lost decade" for Africa. • Energizing the Private Sector: Recognizing the pivotal role of private enterprise in economic growth, Hott is committed to fostering an environment where businesses can thrive, thereby creating jobs and stimulating innovation. • Strengthening Project Preparation and Execution: Emphasizing efficiency, he plans to enhance the planning and implementation phases of development projects to ensure timely and impactful outcomes. • Modernizing Bank Operations and Reinforcing Strategic Partnerships: Hott aims to further modernize the AfDB's operations and strengthen collaborations with key stakeholders to amplify the bank's impact.
These priorities are designed to align with the AfDB's new Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033), which envisions a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and integrated Africa. The strategy focuses on key areas such as energy access, digital transformation, industrialization, human capital development, and food security.
Hott expresses confidence that, with collective effort, the AfDB can successfully implement this strategy, facilitating the creation of inclusive economic opportunities for youth and women, accelerating access to essential services, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting regional integration and intra-African trade.
"Let us drive prosperity for Africa and showcase its immense talent and opportunities to the world," Hott declares, urging a united front to make 2025 a pivotal year for the continent. His candidacy reflects a commitment to leveraging his extensive experience to amplify the impact of the AfDB and to navigate Africa towards a future of sustainable growth and development.
