Ghana's Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson is the Returning Officer for the presidential elections of the African Development Bank (AfDB) at the bank’s ongoing Annual Meetings following his appointment.

In his role as Returning Officer, Dr. Forson is responsible for ensuring the integrity and smooth conduct of the voting process, as outlined in Article 5 of the Bank’s electoral rules.

His duties include verifying that the ballot box is empty before each round of voting, confirming the number of ballots cast matches the number of eligible voters, rejecting invalid ballots, and certifying that only valid votes are counted.

He will be supported by the Secretary General, the General Counsel, and a technical team responsible for ensuring the accuracy of vote tabulation in line with Article 7 of the rules.

The elections were held today to select a successor to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the 8th elected President of the AfDB Group, who was first elected on May 28, 2015, by the Bank’s Board of Governors during its Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The five candidates from across the continent that vied for the presidency are Mr. Amadou Hott – Senegal, Dr. Samuel Munzele Maimbo – Zambia, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah – Mauritania, Mr. Abbas Mahamat Tolli – Chad and Ms. Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala – South Africa.

Following the election, Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group.

Ato Forson engages EBID

Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, on May 24, held his maiden meeting with the President of EBID, Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, in Accra.

The meeting focused on the performance of the Bank and broader efforts to promote regional reintegration within ECOWAS.

Dr. Donkor delivered a detailed presentation on the state of EBID, highlighting that the institution has made significant strides, recovering from previous losses and now charting a positive financial trajectory.

As of the end of 2024, EBID had committed $4.5 billion in investments across the sub-region and is working towards securing improved ratings from international credit agencies.

Addressing the regional political context, Dr. Forson reaffirmed the position of ECOWAS Heads of State on the importance of reintegrating the AES (Alliance of Sahel States) countries that have exited the regional bloc.

He emphasized that their return is crucial for regional cohesion and sustainable development.

Dr. Forson urged all to emulate the commitment of President John Dramani Mahama, who is spearheading diplomatic efforts to bring the AES nations back into the ECOWAS fold.

He described President Mahama’s engagement as a demonstration of strong leadership at a critical time for the region.

The meeting marks a renewed drive by the leadership of EBID to deepen collaboration with member states and advance inclusive economic growth across West Africa.