India hosted 52nd Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) from 22nd to 26th May 2017 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This is the first time that the Annual Meetings of AfDB were held in India.
Details about 52nd Annual Meetings of AfDB:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 52nd Annual Meetings of AfDB.
- Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of AfDB (comprising Finance Ministers of countries) and number of official, knowledge, and side events were held from 22nd to 26th May 2017.
- India’s Governor to AfDB Arun Jaitley chaired the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of AfDB. Governors of the Bank were from the 54 African regional member countries and 27 non-regional member countries including India.
Heads of State/Government who attended 52nd Annual Meetings of AfDB:
Macky Sall – President of Senegal, Patrice Talon – President of Republic of Benin, Daniel Kablan Duncan – Vice President of Republic of Cote D’Ivoire, D.A.S. Hassani – Vice President of Union of Comoros.
About African Development Bank (AfDB):
- AfDB was formed on September 10, 1964.
- It comprises three entities: The African Development Bank, the African Development Fund and the Nigeria Trust Fund.
- AfDB was formed to fight poverty and improve living conditions in African continent by promoting investments and thereby facilitating economic and social development.
- India joined the African Development Fund in 1982, and became a member of AfDB in 1983. India is a non-regional member of the AfDB.
- Earlier, Annual Meetings of AfDB were held outside Africa on three instances. It was held in Valencia, Spain in 2001, in Shanghai, China in 2007, and in Lisbon, Portugal in 2011.
- The next meeting of AfDB is scheduled to be held in Busan, South Korea in 2018.
3rd International Solar Alliance launched at AfDB Meeting:
Union minister Piyush Goyal today launched the 3rd International Solar Alliance (ISA) programme on ‘scaling up mini-grids and micro-grids’
Nauru Ratifies International Solar Alliance Framework Pact
The world’s smallest nation, Nauru has ratified the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Pact. Aaron Cook, Nauru’s Commerce, Industry and Environment Minister handed over the ratification document to Union Finance, Defence and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley on May 22, 2017.
Five more countries sign up to International Solar Alliance
On May 22, 2017, Djibouti, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Somalia and Ghana signed the International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework agreement on the sidelines of African Development Bank (AfDB) meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- Out of these countries, Comoros and Nauru have even submitted the ratification instrument.
- Signing and ratification ceremony was organised by Union Ministry of External Affairs.
