ABUJA – African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has approved new strategy to address the fragility that undermines the development of some states in the continent.
This is contained in a statement by the bank on Friday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the proposed approach is country-led and relies on strong partnerships and strategic alliances.
The bank said the strategy would pave way for a more resilient and inclusive development trajectory in Africa in the next six years.
The bank said the strategy was as a result of its determination to be at the centre of African development.
It said that the continent had seen enormous growth and transformation that had expanded opportunities and improved living conditions for millions of people in the past decade.
It added that the AfDB’s report on fragile states showed that there were significant risks in such states.
It added that the risks could be poverty, unemployment, climate change and poor management of natural resources.
“The discussions of current and former African Heads of State during the AfDB Group’s Annual Meetings in Kigali, Rwanda in May highlighted that no country is immune to fragility.
“Policy makers emphasised the critical role of leadership, the multiple sources of fragility, the political dimension of conflicts, and the limited capacity of institutions to put in place mechanisms for dialogue and reconciliation,” it said.
According to the statement, the AfDB has been called to play its role in this context and to mobilise regional and international efforts to address the development challenges.
“Understanding fragility as a condition of elevated risk of institutional breakdown, societal collapse or violent conflict, the AfDB recognises that fragility does not respect state boundaries,” it said.
The statement said AfDB would make use of all available instruments and focus its resources on the areas it would have impact.
It said that the bank would reach out to the private sector and civil society in fragile situations to address the challenges.
According to the statement, the bank will also strengthen its engagement in four regions that are particularly at risk – Horn of Africa, Mano River Union and Great Lakes and Central Africa region.
It statement said that fragility had significant spillover effects that could put at risk the development prospects of the entire region. (NAN)
