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As the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) convenes in New York this week, the 1.2 billion people of Africa are looking to their leaders and pan-African institutions, such as the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), to champion critical issues that impact the continent's sustainable development and prosperity.
Key topics including climate change, reforming the global financial system, peace, food and health security, and access to clean energy and connectivity are integral to the Bank’s High 5s. These issues are further emphasized in the new Ten-Year Strategy and align with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions "the Africa we want."
The High-Level Segment of the 79th Session of UNGA will take place from September 22 to 30, 2024, uniting member states, international organizations, intergovernmental bodies, and other key stakeholders under the theme “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.”
These 2024 discussions occur amid increasing concerns regarding the achievement of essential targets set forth in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.
The SDGs consist of seventeen goals that serve as “a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future,” with a target completion date of 2030. They were first introduced at UNGA 70 in 2015, marking the inaugural appearance of Dr. Akinwunmi A. Adesina as President of the African Development Bank Group.
In the past ten years, the African Development Bank has significantly increased its initiatives and investments to expedite the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligning these efforts with its High-5s agenda: Light Up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. By concentrating on these High 5s, the Bank asserts that Africa has the potential to fulfill 90 percent of its SDGs.
Accompanied by a senior delegation of Bank Group executives, Adesina will lead a concerted effort in New York to enhance partnerships and garner increased support and commitment from essential stakeholders regarding the continent's development priorities.
Adesina's busy schedule at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) will commence on Sunday, September 22, during this year’s ‘The Summit of the Future,’ taking place from September 22-23, 2024. At the summit, he will join global leaders to present a statement and endorse an action-oriented document titled “A Pact for the Future.”
Additionally, he will participate in a private meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres to address the vital topics of increasing private sector involvement in Africa’s development and reforming multilateral development banks (MDBs).
Furthermore, Adesina will speak at an event named “The World is at a Crossroads,” which aims to create a new global framework to ensure that humanity harnesses rapid advancements in technology and science to fulfill the promise of a better, more peaceful, and prosperous future for both people and the planet.
A significant challenge for the Bank is advocating for increased funding for the African Development Fund (ADF), its concessional lending division, which has been pivotal in promoting the fragility agenda in Africa since 2001. As one of the pioneering multilateral institutions to incorporate the principles of fragility and resilience into its operations, the Bank is aiming for a substantial replenishment of $25 billion for the ADF.
A fireside chat organized by CNN will provide a platform for Adesina to showcase the Bank’s innovative Desert to Power initiative in the Sahel region, which aspires to establish the largest solar energy zone globally and connect 250 million individuals to electricity by 2030.
Additionally, the Bank president will participate in a steering committee meeting of the Access to the Digital Economy (MADE Alliance-Africa), an organization he co-chairs, which seeks to ensure digital access for 100 million people across Africa. Dr. Adesina will emphasize the importance of MADE's efforts in achieving the ambitious target of reaching 100 million African farmers within a decade.
He will be accompanied by the Bank’s vice-presidents overseeing Regional Development, Integration, and Business Delivery, Finance, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, as well as Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth, along with the Chief Economist.