News from Berlin - According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (based in Abuja) on Wednesday the 22nd of October, the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Aminu Wali has solicited Germany's support for Nigeria's candidacy for President of African Development Bank (AfDB) and Deputy Secretary-General of International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Alongside other discussions, Wali made this appeal during bilateral discussions with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Berlin. The next president is set to be elected by the Board of Governors during the bank's Annual Meeting scheduled to take place in Abidjan from May 25, 2015 to May 29, 2015.

Nigeria has put forward Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development), as a candidate in the running for President of the ADB, and since Germany has voting power on the Board of the Bank as a non-regional member, their support is rather important. The president of the bank is elected by the Board of Governors and will serve a five-year term, that is potentially renewable for another term.

The importance of the African Development Bank is paramount, and so the democratic election of a president must be well thought out. The ADB played a big role in the eradication. And declaration of Nigeria as an Ebola-free zone, they launched Ebola crisis response projects. Among other things, the ADB deployed health workers from across Africa and trained local health ‘extension’ and community workers.

News from Berlin - Berlin Global