West African Development Bank Officially Acquires Equity Interest in Arab Bank

The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) has officially joined the capital of the West African Development Bank (BOAD).

Following the Bank's Board of Directors' favourable decision expressed at its 139th meeting on 20th December 2023 in Cotonou, the WAMU Council of Ministers met on 21st December 2023 and approved BADEA's participation in BOAD's capital. This marks the start of the second phase of the Bank's capital enhancement process, the first of which was completed in December 2022 for a total of XOF554.38 billion. 

As a reminder, the BOAD capital increase process, referred to as “Peninsula” project, is structured into two phases: a first phase involving the issue of shares reserved for the Bank's current shareholders, and a second phase involving the issue of shares open to new shareholders, whose accession is subject to approval by the Council of Ministers, as provided for by BOAD's Articles of Association. The participation of BADEA in the Bank's capital as a class B shareholder (non-regional shareholder) is part of this second phase, and involves an amount of US$30 million, or XOF18.47 billion. This stake is equivalent to 1.20% of BOAD's subscribed share capital, giving this first-rate institution a seat on its Board of Directors.

Established on 28th November 1973 and operational since March 1975, BADEA, with head office in Khartoum (Sudan), is a financial organization whose aim is to be a "world bank for Africans", comprising 18 member countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. It is rated Aa2 with a positive outlook by Moody's.

The two institutions are breaking new ground for their long-standing cooperation, which to date has been marked by the provision by BADEA of resources on preferential terms, and by the co-financing of several infrastructure projects in WAEMU countries, as well as the granting of subsidies to BOAD to support structuring projects.

According to President Serge Ekué, "BADEA's participation as a new shareholder follows 10 years after the Kingdom of Morocco joined BOAD's capital in 2013. This was the result of a series of discussions over the past two years. It is the translation of excellent relationships between both of our institutions, but also the result of a perfect common understanding between the President of BADEA, my dear friend and brother, Mr. Sidi Ould Tah, to whom I wish to pay a heartfelt tribute. My warmest congratulations to our respective technical teams”.