SA's Swazi Tshabalala loses out on AfDB presidency to Mauritanian Sidi Ould Tah
His win means the presidency of the bank will again stay between West and North Africa. Southern Africa had fielded two candidates, Tshabalala and Zambian economist Samuel Maimbo. This caused a rift within the regional body Sadc, which publicly endorsed the Zambian, but SA refused to back down.
Tah previously served as director-general for the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa. He also served as an expert at the Mauritanian Bank for Development and Commerce between 1984 and 1986, then as a financial analyst at the Food Security Commission in 1986.
He also worked as a financial analyst at the Khartoum-based Arab Authority for Agriculture, Investment and Development between 1996 and 1999. Thereafter, he served as investment promotion officer and then technical assistant to the president of the Islamic Development Bank.
He was the adviser to Mauritania's president and prime minister, respectively, in 2006 and 2008. In 2008, he was nominated and appointed as Mauritanian minister of economy and finance.
Tshabalala joined AfDB in 2018 after she was appointed as vice president of finance and CFO. She previously served as a finance manager at Standard Bank Group and as group treasurer at Transnet.
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana previously commended Tshabalala for her contribution and commitment to achieving the AfDB's vital goal of increasing investment in the continent.
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