Musokotwane rallies support for Maimbo’s AfDB presidency candidature

_{By BUUMBA CHIMBULU}

FINANCE and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane has used the ongoing annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington to mobilise support for Dr Samuel Maimbo, a candidate for the African Development Bank (AfDB) presidency.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of State during the 44th summit in Zimbabwe on August 17, 2024, endorsed Dr Maimbo, a Zambian, as the region’s sole candidate for the AfDB presidency.

Dr. Maimbo serves as vice president for Budget, Performance Review, and Strategic Planning at the World Bank Group.

Seven candidates from Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia were interviewed, with Dr Maimbo ranking first and South Africa’s Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala coming in second.

In an interview session with international media at the ongoing annual meeting in Washington, Dr Musokotwane pointed out that Dr Maimbo’s candidature was due to his exceptional resource mobilisation skills gained from working with the World Bank.

Dr Musokotwane noted that Dr Maimbo could use his experience gained at WB to lead the development of AfDB to continuously raise finance for African countries.

He was confident that Dr Maimbo’s leadership at the AfDB would create help for the continent.

“Dr Maimbo’s AfDB presidency candidature is not only sponsored by Zambia but the sole nominee for the SADC countries. This is the official candidate of SADC group of countries.

“The decision will be made in May next year. We are pushing for Dr Maimbo who is the vice president of the WB. We have chosen him. We are happy not because he is a Zambian but has acquired experience, he is competent.

He has risen through the ranks of WB to being vice president. He enjoys the support of management of WB and involved in mobilising International Development Association money,” Dr Musokotwane said.