Development impact on the continent and security in the Sahel were among the top issues discussed in a recent meeting between United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina in New York.
Both leaders agreed that current efforts must succeed in Africa, or risk failing globally, and emphasized the need for deeper collaboration between their institutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Guterres signaled his strong support for the African Development Bank’s flagship ‘Desert to Power’ initiative, which is expected to provide electricity to 250 million people. He also offered to convene a special global meeting on Lake Chad, in consultation with Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari.
The “Desert to Power” program, a $10 billion initiative to build a 10 GW solar zone across the Sahel—the largest in the world, aims to develop and provide 10 GW of solar energy by 2025 and supply 250 million people with green electricity including in some of the world’s poorest countries.
According to Adesina, “Secretary General Guterres and I had a highly productive engagement and committed to enhance strategic and operational partnerships between the UN and the African Development Bank. I am encouraged by the Secretary General’s generous support for the Bank’s development initiatives, which we are certain will bear fruit across the continent.”
The two heads of institutions met following Adesina’s trip to the United States for the World Bank’s annual Spring meetings held in Washington DC.
Adesina also briefed the Secretary General about ongoing discussions on the Bank’s General Capital Increase (GCI-7), designed to address Africa’s growing lending demands. The Secretary General committed to advocate “for the mobilization of adequate resources in order to further the Bank’s development goals.”
Guterres and Adesina also discussed the Bank’s inaugural Africa Investment Forum, held last year in Johannesburg, South Africa, where projects worth US$38.7 billion secured investment interest. The Secretary General accepted the Adesina’s invitation to participate in the 2019 edition of the event, to be held in November in South Africa.

Mediterrania Capital bought Australian Amcor's Moroccan packaging unit Enko Capital took ov...
Enko Capital acquires Servair’s fast-food unit in Côte d’Ivoire, including the Burger King franchi...
Central bank to release $1 billion in cash to curb black market demand Move aims to ease inf...
From eastern Chad, where measles and meningitis are spreading through overcrowded refugee camps, to ...
Standard Chartered arranges $2.33 billion for Tanzania railway project Funding support...
Guinea has launched a national school mapping initiative to guide education reforms and investment. About 60% of youth aged 15–24 remain unemployed or...
The world lost 4.3 million hectares of primary tropical forest in 2025, down 36% from 2024. Brazil drove the improvement, cutting forest loss to 1.63...
The World Bank will provide $250 million to improve waste management and create jobs in Kinshasa. Kinshasa produces about 12,000 tonnes of waste...
Egypt’s solar photovoltaic capacity could rise from 2.9 GW in 2025 to 34.3 GW by 2035, according to GlobalData. Total renewable energy capacity could...
UK museum to return 45 Botswana artifacts after 150 years Items collected in 1890s; restitution follows Botswana request Return tied to...
The history of Kerma stretches back several millennia. Located in what is now northern Sudan, the site was inhabited as early as prehistoric times....