The Board of Governors of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) wound up a two-day meeting in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, on 1 July 2016 after pledging about USD50 million (fifty million dollars) in support of the Foundation's new five-year strategy.
A record number of African countries, institutions and even individuals made their contributions after voicing strong support for the organization's new strategy, presented by Executive Secretary, Emmanuel Nnadozie. "This is as strong an endorsement of our strategy as can be and we are delighted that our countries and citizens have decided to put their money where their mouths are," Professor Nnadozie said.
The strategy to strengthen capacity in a fast-developing Africa hinges on four pillars: (i) enabling effective delivery of continental development priorities; (ii) supporting countries to achieve tangible development results; (iii) enhancing private sector and civil society contributions to sustainable development; and (iv) leveraging knowledge and learning to increase development effectiveness in Africa.
Speaking during the meeting, the ACBF Governor for the Côte d'Ivoire, Finance Minister Adama Kone said: "What we have achieved today is the expression of our ownership of ACBF and a communication of our unequivocal support to the Foundation as the institution that is leading our capacity building effort. ACBF, is best-placed to take us through building capacity for the economic transformation of our countries and we call on all multilateral partners, African and non-African countries to channel their capacity development support through ACBF for effective results."
Mr. Charles Lufumpa, the representative from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the institution with the largest pledge, said: "The African Development Bank has no doubt that ACBF can support the achievement of the African Development Bank’s High Fives."
The Executive Secretary pointed out, as he looked into the future, that “the ACBF Strategy 2017-2021 is a milestone one that intends to tackle implementation capacity in Africa for the achievement of the 10-year Plan of Agenda 2063 and the SDGs".
A civil society delegate attending the meeting Mme Ursuline Begorre, opened up the pledging to non-state actors and individuals for the first time in the history of ACBF, offering to support what she described as "a strategy I feel could really move things on the continent".
