Canada and the African Development Bank

Created in 1964, the African Development Bank's (AfDB) mission is to help reduce poverty, improve living conditions for Africans and mobilize resources for Africa's economic and social development in order to support the poorest region of the world.

The AfDB has 80 country members, with Canada becoming a member in 1982. Canada holds a permanent seat on the 20-member AfDB Board of Directors and is the fourth largest non-African shareholder to the Bank. Canada also has a seat on the 14-member Board of Directors of the AfDB's African Development Fund (ADF). The ADF provides low interest loans and grants to support the poorest and most vulnerable African countries.

Canada’s support for the African Development Bank

In September 2014, Canada renewed its support to the African Development Fund (ADF), announcing a contribution of $309.3 million over three years (2014-2016), to contribute to economic and social development in the least developed African countries.

Canada also contributes to several thematic multi-donor funds managed by the AfDB, including in the infrastructure and water sectors:

• In April 2013, Canada committed $15 million over four years in support of the New Partnership for Africa's Development Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility, hosted by the African Development Bank. This project, funded by Canada's Pan-Africa Regional Development Program, represents a second phase of Canadian support to the facility. Through the project, African countries, regional economic communities, and specialized regional institutions will receive technical and financial assistance to help leverage public and private sector financing for infrastructure projects, targeting potential projects in the energy, transportation, information and telecommunications sectors.
• Building on Canada’s past support of AfDB programs to increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation services for the poor, Canada’s Pan-Africa Regional Development Program, has committed $19 million over five years (2012-2016) to the African Water Facility. This initiative aims to contribute to socio-economic development and poverty alleviation, by enhancing the equitable and sustainable development and management of African water resources.

Achievements

Between 2011 and 2013, with the support of Canada and other international donors, the AfDB has helped:

• Provide 28.6 million people with access to better health services, of which 18 million are women
• Provide nearly 10 million people with new or improved electricity connections, of which close to 5 million are women
• Improve access to transport for over 26 million people
• Provide more than 8 million people with new or improved access to water and sanitation, of which more than 4 million are women
• Provide over 2.7 million people with better access to education, of which 1.6 million are female
• Provide 94,000 people with access to vocational training, of which over 53,000 are women
• Create over 1 million jobs, of which 254,000 are for women

Related Links

• Canada and the AfDB