Senegal’s Amadou Hott pitches for AfDB presidency

Amadou Hott, a prominent candidate for the Presidency of the African Development Bank, recently shared his vision for the continent's transformation in a candid interview with CNBC Africa's Fifi Peters. With a diverse background spanning investment banking in New York to serving as the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation in Senegal, Hott's dedication to Africa's development shines through. His passion stems from a deep-seated desire to give back to the continent that shaped him, leveraging his skills and experience to unlock its immense potential. Hott's commitment to driving change is rooted in mobilizing resources, implementing robust policy reforms, and prioritizing job creation for Africa's youth and women. In the fiercely contested race for the AfDB presidency, Hott exudes confidence in garnering widespread support. He emphasizes the importance of selecting the best candidate to address the continent's pressing challenges, focusing on mobilizing resources, policy reforms, and fast-paced implementation to deliver tangible impact. Hott's track record of increased private sector investments during his tenure as Vice President of the AfDB underscores his ability to drive change and foster collaboration across regions. Hott's ambitious agenda includes accelerating the financing of critical areas like sustainable energy, climate action, and enhancing Africa's access to clean cooking solutions. Highlighting the urgency of the continent's needs, Hott stresses the necessity of fast-tracking project implementation to achieve universal energy access by 2030. His proposed strategies involve mobilizing concessional hybrid capital, expanding the private sector portfolio within the bank, and leveraging the African Development Fund to meet the escalating demands of member countries. A key pillar of Hott's vision is to address Africa's debt sustainability, poverty, and inequality by promoting domestic resource mobilization and combating illicit financial flows. By streamlining project development processes, enhancing technical assistance, and fostering partnerships between nations, Hott aims to expedite the delivery of impactful projects while upholding transparency and governance standards. Amidst a shifting global geopolitical landscape, Hott acknowledges the challenges facing multilateralism but sees them as an opportunity for Africa to assert its self-reliance and leverage its abundant resources. With a focus on harnessing the continent's wealth, both natural and financial, Hott envisions the African Development Bank as a central player in mobilizing resources for transformative initiatives that propel Africa towards sustainable development. As Hott articulates his vision for a reinvigorated AfDB presidency, his mantra of speed, passion, and expertise resonates strongly. With a clear-eyed determination to accelerate Africa's progress, Hott stands poised to lead the bank into a new era of dynamic growth, collaboration, and impact for the benefit of all Africans.