The President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Dr. Benedict Oramah, took advantage of his presence in Ahmedabad, India, to embark on a series of high-level meetimgs on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB), meetings with African finance ministers and other officials to advance issues affecting the African continental trade finance institution.
On Tuesday, President Oramah met with Gervais Rakotoarimanana, Finance Minister of Madagascar, to discuss the country’s potential membership of the Bank.
He briefed Mr. Rakotoarimanana on the benefits of membership of the Bank, noting that Afreximbank provides critical financing support to Member Countries for trade activities, including supporting their local banks to provide trade financing to local businesses.
The Bank also supports governments to implement trade facilitating projects such as the development of ports, rail transport systems and power projects.
Also on Tuesday, the President met with Milton Weeks, Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, for discussions on the bank’s cooperation with Afreximbank.
Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (left) in handshake with Milton Weeks, Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia.
On Wednesday, the President met with Stephen Dhieu Dau, Finance Minister of South Sudan, whose country joined the Bank recently as a participating state.
Mr. Dau expressed appreciation to the Bank for its support to the country and said that South Sudan was moving to quickly finalise the ratification of the Bank’s Establishment agreement.
He added that South Sudan was looking forward to the Bank’s support in facilitating trade in its many resources, including gold, gum Arabic, livestock, etc.
Other meetings included those with Olavo Avelino Garcia Correia, Minister of Finance of Cape Verde; Felix Moloua, Minister of Finance of the Central African Republic; Ahmed Osman, Governor of the Central Bank of Djibouti; Berhane Abrehe, Minister of Finance of Eritrea; and Waheed Olagunju, Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Nigeria.
Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (right) with Stephen Dhieu Dau, Finance Minister of South Sudan.
Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (2nd Left) with (L-R) Simon Aranonu, Executive Director, Bank of Industry, Nigeria; Kanayo Awani., Managing Director, Intra-African Trade Initiative, Afreximbank; and Waheed Olagunju, Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Nigeria.