African Development Bank and International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) hold workshop for Francophone West Africa governments to strengthen development effectiveness
The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) concluded a workshop on Thursday aimed at enhancing the use of development finance data to support national planning, coordination, and accountability. The workshop was attended by government representatives from Francophone West Africa.
The three-day workshop, held from 3 to 5 June, took place at the headquarters of the African Development Bank Group in Abidjan, with participants from Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.
During the event, government representatives explored how IATI data can help track external resources, align aid with national priorities, and strengthen decision-making. A key focus for the workshop participants was strengthening dialogue with development partners to improve the information on billions of dollars of development investments flowing into Francophone West Africa. Participants also received practical training on the use of IATI data and tools.
Development partner representatives from Agence Française de Développement, Islamic Development Bank, West African Development Bank (BOAD), and the World Bank attended the workshop. These partners, including the African Development Bank, through IATI, have published detailed information on their development finance, projects and results. Since 2013, the Bank has published over $200 billion in project and results data to the IATI Standard.
Armand Nzeyimana, Director of the Development Impact and Results Department at the African Development Bank, emphasised the Bank's leadership on transparency in his opening remarks: "Since joining IATI in 2011, the Bank has made a firm commitment to making transparency a cornerstone of its work."
The African Development Bank has shared public data about its investments through the creation of its Data Portal and MapAfrica platform, which visualises over 5,700 projects across 17,600 locations, aligned with the Bank's High 5 strategic priorities, Nzeyimana said.
This approach resulted in the African Development Bank's sovereign portfolio being recognised as the most transparent out of 50 global development institutions in 2022 and 2024, according to Publish What You Fund's (https://apo-opa.co/45NBjzm) Aid Transparency Index, Nzeyimana added.
For Charlie Martial Ngounou, Vice-Chair of IATI's Governing Board, the workshop provided an important opportunity for governments and partners in Francophone West Africa to work towards 'greater transparency, coordination, and effectiveness in development cooperation.' He underlined the importance of ensuring that IATI serves country-level realities, noting: "The value of a standard lies in its adoption, its adaptation, and its relevance to country contexts. The real impact of IATI is found in your ministries, your dashboards, your planning and coordination processes."
Representing the Government of Côte d'Ivoire, Dr. Nahoua Yeo, Directeur de Cabinet at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, highlighted the importance of accessible, high-quality data for government leadership:
"I commend the IATI initiative for its leading role in standardizing, collecting, and disseminating data on development cooperation. Thanks to this standard, countries like ours can access strategic information, enhance budgetary transparency, and improve the quality of dialogue with partners. I also commend the AfDB for its continued commitment to aid effectiveness and support to member states."
The workshop concluded with participants agreeing on a regional roadmap to enhance the use of IATI data at the country level in francophone west Africa. Participants also looked ahead to 2030 and input their vision for what IATI's next strategic plan should focus on to meet the information needs of francophone African countries.
Both institutions look forward to continuing their partnership with countries to advance transparency, increase country ownership, and improve the effectiveness of development cooperation.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Contacts:
African Development Bank:
Amba Mpoke-Bigg
Communication and External Relations Department
email: media@afdb.org
IATI:
Rohini Simbodyal
IATI Advocacy and Communications Specialist Sustainable Finance Hub
email: rohini.simbodyal@undp.org
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.
For more information: www.AfDB.org
About the International Aid Transparency Initiative:
IATI is a global initiative to improve the transparency of development and humanitarian resources and their results to address poverty and crises. See https://apo-opa.co/45kuqFI for more information. To date over 1,700 organisations have published data on nearly 1 million development and humanitarian projects, providing visibility on USD 3.7 trillion in spending.
For more information: https://IATIStandard.org
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
9 hours ago
- Zawya
AfDB backs Africa's largest solar power plant in Egypt with $184.1mln package
Arab Finance: The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a $184.1 million financing package to support the development of the Obelisk 1-gigawatt solar photovoltaic project and 200-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system in Egypt, as per a statement. Located in Qena, the project is expected to be Africa's largest solar power plant, with a total cost estimated at over $590 million. It entails the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a photovoltaic power plant with an integrated battery energy storage system. The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) will be the sole off-taker under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement. The package includes $125.5 million of ordinary resources, as well as concessional funding from AfDB-managed Special Funds the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) worth $20 million, and the Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund ($18.6 million), a partnership of AfDB and the Government of Canada. The Climate Investment Funds' Clean Technology Fund will finance a further sum of $20 million, along with an additional financing from a consortium of development finance institutions. Under Egypt's Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) program, Obelisk has been granted a Golden License and is recognized as a strategic initiative that will contribute to addressing Egypt's energy constraints and advancing its energy transition. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt's Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, commented: 'The Obelisk solar project is another important milestone for Egypt under the energy pillar of the NWFE program which has since its launch in November 2022 at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh delivered 4.2 GW of privately financed renewable energy investments, worth about $4 billion, with the support of partners such as the Africa Development Bank.' 'The goal of NWFE's energy pillar is to add 10 GW of renewable energy capacity with investments of approximately $10 billion, and phase out 5 GW of fossil fuel power generation by 2030,' Al-Mashat added. The project is set to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2026 and is expected to generate an estimated 2,772 gigawatt-hours of clean, reliable, and affordable energy annually to the national grid. It is projected to reduce annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately one million tons and create about 4,000 jobs during construction and 50 permanent jobs during operation, with a special focus on women and youth employment. © 2020-2023 Arab Finance For Information Technology. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
14 hours ago
- Zawya
World Bank to end ban on nuclear energy projects, still debating upstream gas
WASHINGTON: The World Bank's board has agreed to end a longstanding ban on funding nuclear energy projects in developing countries as part of a broader push to meet rising electricity needs, the bank's president Ajay Banga said on Wednesday. Banga outlined the bank's revised energy strategy in an email to staff after what he called a constructive discussion with the board on Tuesday. He said the board was not yet in agreement on whether the bank should engage in funding the production of natural gas, and if so, under what circumstances. The global development bank, which lends at low rates to help countries build everything from flood barriers to railroads, decided in 2013 to stop funding nuclear power projects. It announced in 2017 it would stop funding upstream oil and gas projects beginning in 2019, although it would still consider gas projects in the poorest countries. The nuclear issue was agreed fairly easily by board members, but several countries, including Germany, France and Britain, did not fully support changing the bank's approach to embrace upstream natural gas projects, sources familiar with the discussion said. "While the issues are complex, we've made real progress toward a clear path forward on delivering electricity as a driver of development," Banga said, adding that further discussion was required on the issue of upstream gas projects. Banga has championed a shift in the bank's energy policy since taking office in June 2023, arguing the bank should pursue an "all of the above" approach to help countries meet rising electricity needs and advance development goals. In his memo, he noted that electricity demand was expected to more than double in developing countries by 2035, which would require more than doubling today's annual investment of $280 billion in generation, grids and storage. The Trump administration has been pushing hard for ending the ban on nuclear energy projects since taking office. The U.S. is the bank's single largest shareholder - at 15.83%, followed by Japan with 7% and China with close to 6% - and the bank's decision to broaden its approach to energy projects will likely please President Donald Trump, who withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and its emission-reduction targets as one of his first acts in January. Twenty-eight countries already use commercial nuclear power, with 10 more ready to start and another 10 potentially ready by 2030, according to the Energy for Growth Hub and Third Way. Banga said the World Bank Group would work closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency to strengthen its ability to advise on nuclear non-proliferation safeguards, safety, security and regulatory frameworks. The bank would support efforts to extend the life of existing nuclear reactors, along with grid upgrades. It would also work to accelerate the potential of small modular reactors. ENERGY MIX Trump administration officials and some development experts say developing countries should not be blocked from using inexpensive power to expand their economies while advanced economies like Germany continue to burn fossil fuels. But climate activists worry that funding more nuclear and natural gas projects will divert funds away from urgently needed efforts by developing countries to adapt to climate change and benefit from abundant alternative energy sources such as solar. "Net zero does not mean fossil fuel free. It means, still, that there will be 20% energy coming from fossil fuels," said Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados. "We know natural gas is that clean fuel." Banga said the bank's revised strategy would allow countries to determine the best energy mix, with some choosing solar, wind, geothermal or hydroelectric power, while others might opt for natural gas or, over time, nuclear. He said the bank would continue to advise on and finance midstream and downstream natural gas projects when they represented the least-cost option, aligned with development plans, minimized risk and did not constrain renewables. The bank would further study evolving technologies like carbon capture and ocean energy, Banga said, adding it aimed to simplify reviews and approvals. Banga said the bank would continue advising on and financing the retirement of coal plants, supporting carbon capture for industry and power generation, but not for enhanced oil recovery, which can typically secure commercial financing. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Nia Williams)
Dubai Eye
a day ago
- Dubai Eye
World Bank cuts global growth forecast as trade tensions heighten uncertainty
The World Bank slashed its global growth forecast for 2025 by four-tenths of a percentage point to 2.3 per cent, saying that higher tariffs and heightened uncertainty posed a "significant headwind" for nearly all economies. In its twice-yearly Global Economic Prospects report, the global lender lowered its forecasts for nearly 70 per cent of all economies - including the US, China and Europe, as well as six emerging market regions - from the levels it projected six months ago before US President Donald Trump took office. Trump has upended global trade with a series of on-again, off-again tariff hikes that have increased the effective US tariff rate from below 3 per cent to the mid-teens - its highest level in almost a century - and triggered retaliation by China and other countries. The World Bank is the latest body to cut its growth forecast as a result of Trump's erratic trade policies, although US officials insist the negative consequences will be offset by a surge in investment and still-to-be approved tax cuts. It stopped short of forecasting a recession, but said global economic growth this year would be the weakest outside of a recession since 2008. By 2027, global gross domestic product growth was expected to average just 2.5 per cent, the slowest pace of any decade since the 1960s. The report forecast that global trade would grow by 1.8 per cent in 2025, down from 3.4 per cent in 2024 and roughly a third of its 5.9 per cent level in the 2000s. The forecast is based on tariffs in effect as of late May, including a 10 per cent US tariff on imports from most countries. It excludes increases that were announced by Trump in April and then postponed until July 9 to allow for negotiations. The World Bank said global inflation was expected to reach 2.9 per cent in 2025, remaining above pre-COVID-19 levels, given tariff increases and tight labor markets. "Risks to the global outlook remain tilted decidedly to the downside," it wrote. The lender said its models showed that a further increase of 10 percentage points in average US tariffs, on top of the 10 per cent rate already implemented, and proportional retaliation by other countries, could shave another half of a percentage point off the outlook for 2025. Such an escalation in trade barriers would result "in global trade seizing up in the second half of this year... accompanied by a widespread collapse in confidence, surging uncertainty and turmoil in financial markets," the report said. Nonetheless, it said the risk of a global recession was less than 10 per cent. Top officials from the US and China are meeting in London this week to try to defuse a trade dispute that has widened from tariffs to restrictions over rare earth minerals, threatening a global supply chain shock and slower growth. "Uncertainty remains a powerful drag, like fog on a runway. It slows investment and clouds the outlook," World Bank Deputy Chief Economist Ayhan Kose told Reuters in an interview. But Kose said there were signs of increased dialogue on trade that could help dispel uncertainty, and supply chains were adapting to a new global trade map, not collapsing. Global trade growth could modestly rebound in 2026 to 2.4 per cent, and developments in artificial intelligence could also boost growth, he said. "We think that eventually the uncertainty will decline," Kose said. "Once the type of fog we have lifts, the trade engine may start running again, but at a slower pace." Kose said while things could get worse, trade was continuing and China, India and others were still delivering robust growth. Many countries were also discussing new trade partnerships that could pay dividends later, he said. The World Bank said the global outlook had "deteriorated substantially" since January, mainly due to advanced economies, which are now seen growing by just 1.2 per cent, down half a percentage point, after expanding by 1.7 per cent per cent in 2024. The US forecast was slashed by nine-tenths of a percentage point from its January forecast to 1.4 per cent, and the 2026 outlook was lowered by four-tenths of a percentage point to 1.6 per cent. Rising trade barriers, "record-high uncertainty" and a spike in financial market volatility were expected to weigh on private consumption, trade and investment, it said. The White House pushed back against the forecast, citing recent economic data that it said pointed to a stronger economy. "The World Bank's prognostications are untethered to the data: investment in real business equipment surged by nearly 25 per cent in Q1 of 2025; real disposable personal income grew by a robust 0.7 per cent month-over-month in April; and Americans have now seen three consecutive expectation-beating jobs and inflation reports," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said. He added that a sweeping budget package currently making its way through Congress would provide tax relief and "further turbo-charge America's economic resurgence under President Trump." The World Bank cut growth estimates in the euro zone by three-tenths of a percentage point to 0.7 per cent and in Japan by half a percentage point to 0.7 per cent. It said emerging markets and developing economies were expected to grow by 3.8 per cent in 2025 versus 4.1 per cent in the forecast in January. Poor countries would suffer the most, the report said. By 2027, developing economies' per capita GDP would be 6 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, and it could take these countries - minus China - two decades to recoup the economic losses of the 2020s. Mexico, heavily dependent on trade with the US, saw its growth forecast cut by 1.3 percentage points to 0.2 per cent in 2025. The World Bank left its forecast for China unchanged at 4.5 per cent from January, saying Beijing still had monetary and fiscal space to support its economy and stimulate growth.
