A delegation led by Dr. Benedict Oramah, President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), which is in Washington D.C. for the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF, is taking advantage of the presence of key African economic decision makers in the city to hold bilateral meetings aimed at driving the Bank’s agenda and discussing the Bank’s support to promote trade across the continent.
On 14 October, President Oramah met with Stephen Dhieu Dau, Minister of Finance of South Sudan, whose country is one of the newest members of the Bank, having joined recently as a participating state.
Mr. Dau expressed appreciation to the Bank for its support to the country and outlined several areas where the country saw opportunities for enhanced collaboration with Afreximbank.
He said that South Sudan was looking forward to the Bank’s support in facilitating trade in its many resources, including gold, gum Arabic, livestock, etc.
The President also met with Olavo Avelino Garcia Correia, Minister of Finance of Cape Verde, whose country will host the Bank’s annual Structured Trade Finance Seminar and Workshops in November.
Mr. Correia said that Cape Verde was fully ready to work with the Bank to ensure the success of the seminar and workshops.
He announced that Cape Verde was working to develop its tourism sector and had entered into an arrangement to become a major hub for international air travel. He said that Cape Verde was seeking the Bank’s support in order to achieve that objective.
Similarly, the President met with Felix Mutati, Minister of Finance of Zambia, who discussed the Bank’s work in Zambia and looked at how the Bank could provide more support to Zambian businesses.
Earlier on 13 October, the President and delegation visited the Embassy of Madagascar in Washington D.C. for discussions on collaboration towards the country’s economic development.
Meetings were also held with Malado Kaba, Minister of Finance of Guinea, and with Bola Onadele, Managing Director/CEO of FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange of Nigeria.
Olavo Avelino Garcia Correia, Minister of Finance of Cape Verde, making a point during his meeting with Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (centre) in Washington D.C.
Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (right) with Stephen Dhieu Dau, Finance Minister of South Sudan.
Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (2nd right) with Stephen Dhieu Dau, Finance Minister of South Sudan (3rd right) and Dr. George Elombi, Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Governance, Legal, and Corporate Services (1st left), and Amr Kamel, Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Banking, after the meeting.
Group photo of the Madagascan and Afreximbank delegations following the meeting at the Embassy of Madagascar in Washington D.C.