The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), driven by its mandate and goals as a pan-African bank, will maintain focus on diverse ways of supporting the continent, Jean-Louis Ekra, President of the Bank, said today in Dubai.
Addressing the opening of a retreat for the review of the Bank’s Fourth Strategic Plan, Mr. Ekra pointed to the recent transaction by the Bank which raised $1.9 billion funding for Kenya Airways which resulted in the delivery of the first Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner aircraft to the airline on Monday.
“Afreximbank, acting as the mandated lead arranger, raised $1.9 billion funding for Kenya Airways , which enabled the airline acquire its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner,” said Mr. Ekra. The entire deal involves the delivery to the airline of nine Boeing 787-800 Dreamliners and one 777-300ER jet as well as 10 Embraer-190 aircraft which were already delivered between.
The President said that the retreat was convened to review the progress of implementation in the first two years of the Bank’s Fourth Strategic Plan which covers the period 2012 to 2016 in order to ensure that operational gaps and unforeseen contingencies were spotted and dealt with in order to guarantee overall success.
The three-day retreat is featuring presentation of technical papers with bearing on the Bank’s mandate, inputs by African entrepreneurs on how pan-African banks can create and sustain pan-African entrepreneurial champions, a roundtable discussion by Afreximbank Board members and an internal review of the progress made by the Bank under the Strategic Plan, with suggestions for improving implementation of the next phase.
Speakers on the opening day included Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings Ltd., Nigeria; Anil Sood, Principal, Centennial Group International, U.S.A.; Mr. Robinson, Vice President Huawei, North Africa region; Pof. Adeniyi Osuntogun; Dr. Anwar Alhaq, Kings College Hospital, U.K.; Shri Yaduvendra Mathur, Chairman and Managing Director, Export-Import Bank of India; Koniyin Ajayi, Partner Ajayi and Associates, Nigeria, Andrew Gamble, Partner, Hogan Lowells, London, U.K.
A roundtable on inspirations from African entrepreneurs-what more can Afreximbank do to create and sustain pan-African entrepreneurial champions, was moderated by Hubert Danso, Africainvestor, South Africa. The panelists were Ibrahim Mahama, CEO, E&P; Craig Fitzgerald, CEO, ECONET Wireless; Niang Mouhamadou, Director, Private Sector Department, African development Bank; Kouao Niamoutie from Abidjan; and Lucien Ebata, Managing Director, Orion Group, SA.
Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings Ltd., Nigeria, makes a point during motivational speech to the retreat.
Anil Sood, Principal, Centennial Group International, U.S.A., addressing participants.
Shri Yaduvendra Mathur, Chairman and Managing Director, Export-Import Bank of India, speaking at the retreat.
Dr. Anwar Alhaq, Kings College Hospital, U.K., addresses retreat participants.
Group photo with (L-R) Afreximbank Executive Vice President Dr. Benedict Oramah; Anil Sood, Principal, Centennial Group International, U.S.A.; Obi Emekekwue, Afreximbank Senior Manager, External Communications; Afreximbank President Jean-Louis Ekra; Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Nigeria; Former Board Member Caleb Fundanga; Board Member Victor-Jérôme Nembelessini-Silué of Cote d’Ivoire.