OREANDA-NEWS. September 28, 2016. The African Development Bank’s consultations with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Central Africa region are currently underway in Yaound, Cameroun. 

The September 26-28, 2016 discussions aim at enhancing cooperation between the two at regional and country levels in order to effectively support the Bank’s Regional Member Countries in delivering development programs. 

At the workshop, the Bank is expected to present a list of its ongoing projects in the various countries within the region, raising awareness of its five key priority areas (High 5s), and building active partnership with the CSOs over their implementation. The High 5s are: Light up and power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialise Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa. These are essential in driving Africa’s development, and are consistent with the United Nations agenda on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Particularly, the talks will ensure that collaboration with CSOs can help in the delivery of the Bank’s flagship projects in three priority areas: Energy-climate change; Agriculture; and Jobs for youth, which is a strategy under the Bank’s fifth High 5: Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

The Bank’s mission is to reach out to the African populations at the base of the pyramid, Maria Mulindi, Senior Advisor to the AfDB President on Civil Society and Community Base Organisations, stated earlier. “The Bank wants to work through [civil society] to reach the base of the pyramid,” she said.

Earlier this month, the Bank held talks with CSOs in West Africa in Dakar, Senagal, to discuss its agenda for Africa in the next 10 years. By the end of 2016, the Bank will have hosted a total of five consultations with civil society groups on how to jointly deliver on its roadmap for Africa’s transformation.

The consultation for Southern Africa region will be held in November 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa, while the East Africa consultation will take place in early December 2016 in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Tunisia will host the North Africa regional consultation workshop on December 14-16, 2016.