Luxembourg, a Western European country, has joined the African Development Bank (AfDB) group, becoming the institution’s 26th non-regional member country. The partnership shows Luxembourg’s commitment to contributing to Africa’s development through the AfDB’s multilateral instruments. Luxembourg will provide 25m euros to the AfDB’s development efforts on the continent over the next eight years, according to a statement from AfDB. “Luxembourg’s membership is an additional testimony that the African Development Bank Group is attractive. This testifies, if need be, of the crucial role our institution plays in support of African economies and the well-being of the populations,” Donald Kaberuka, the African Development Bank’s president, said during the signing ceremony that saw Luxembourg joining the bank last week. Pierre Gramegna, the Luxembourg Minister for Finance, said the country’s joining the AfDB is a continuation of its long-standing interest and support for Africa. “AfDB countries such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Cape Verde are of special focus for Luxembourg’s co-operation on the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa is the primary area of concentration of our co-operation. Therefore, our membership will reinforce the country’s action in favour of its African partners,” he explained. Gramegna added that AfDB’s policies and strategies, as well as those of Luxembourg’s development assistance contribute to the same sustainable development objective of reducing poverty in Africa.
