The Country Manager for the African Development Bank, Halima H. Hashi, has presented her open letters to Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, officially assuming full responsibilities in her new role.
The presentation of the open letters formally accords her diplomatic courtesies to perform her duties in Ghana as the representative of the regional multilateral development institution. The diplomatic process marks the official commencement of her tenure and reinforces the partnership between Ghana and the African Development Bank.
During the engagement, Ablakwa expressed appreciation for Ghana’s longstanding relationship with the African Development Bank, highlighting the country’s benefits from the institution since Ghana joined the Bank in 1973. He noted that the Bank has supported various sectors of the Ghanaian economy, including infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and governance reforms.
Among the key issues discussed was the Bank’s continued funding support for the government’s flagship infrastructure development agenda, popularly known as the Big Push, as well as the Feed Ghana Programme, which is aimed at strengthening agricultural production and achieving food security.
The African Development Bank has notably financed the Eastern Corridor Road, a strategic route linking northern Ghana to the southern parts of the country. The corridor also serves as a critical trade transit route connecting the Tema Port to landlocked countries in the Sahel region, thereby enhancing regional trade and economic integration.
To further advance the project, the Bank committed an additional funding of UA 9.36 million under the Performance-Based Allocation (PBA) for the Eastern Corridor Road Development Programme Phase One. The additional financing was approved on December 16, 2025, with completion expected by December 31, 2027.
Cumulatively, the African Development Bank has committed approximately $1.3 billion to ongoing projects in Ghana. The investment reflects growing reliance on African-led financial institutions to support development priorities aligned with continental realities, as opposed to traditional external financing mechanisms.
The discussions also highlighted Ghana’s broader continental financial agenda, with Ablakwa reaffirming the government’s support for strengthening African financial institutions. He noted that the President, John Dramani Mahama, continues to play a key continental role as the African Union Champion for African Financial Institutions.
According to the Minister, the President remains committed to advancing financial sovereignty for African countries and promoting the retention of African reserves within the continent to finance infrastructure and development needs. This approach has been a message he has heralded on the global stage which is critical to reducing dependency on external funding sources that may not fully reflect Africa’s structural development needs.
“I assured that President John Mahama will continue to offer his valuable guidance as the African Union Champion for African Financial Institutions as he remarkably pursues financial sovereignty and retention of African reserves on the continent to finance Africa’s infrastructure deficit,” Ablakwa stated.
The presentation of the open letters therefore signals not only the formal assumption of duties by the new African Development Bank Country Manager, but also a renewed commitment to deepening Ghana’s partnership with African-led financial institutions to drive sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development.
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