Published: May 28, 2025
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire — Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, has been elected chair of Constituency 15 of the African Development Bank (AfDB), a regional bloc that includes Liberia, Ghana, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan.
The election was held during the 2025 Constituency Annual Meetings on the margins of the ongoing AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan.
Ngafuan will officially assume the role on Aug. 1, 2025, for a three-year term. He succeeds Sheku A.F. Bangura, Sierra Leone’s minister of finance.
In a related development, Liberian public servant Rufus N. Darkortey will conclude his tenure as executive director of Constituency 15 at the AfDB, also effective Aug. 1.
As he prepares to step down, Darkortey extended gratitude to member states for their trust and support during his three-year term.
“Over the past three years, your confidence elevated our constituency’s voice in the governance and programming of the Bank,” he said. “Your collective leadership redefined what is possible when countries act in unity.”
Darkortey offered special thanks to former President George Manneh Weah, who nominated him for the post in 2022, and to current President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for his continued support throughout the tenure.
“I express deep appreciation to His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., for his ongoing support, guidance, and leadership during my service as executive director,” he said.
Under Darkortey’s leadership, the constituency expanded its role in AfDB’s strategic initiatives, gained greater influence in policymaking, and strengthened regional cooperation and visibility within the Bank.
Speaking on behalf of the government and people of Liberia, Minister Ngafuan praised Darkortey for his service.
“Mr. Darkortey represented Liberia and the constituency with distinction, as reflected in the strong support and commendations he received from member countries,” Ngafuan said.
Looking ahead, Ngafuan expressed optimism about the future of the constituency.
“As we transition, I am confident that Constituency 15 will continue to serve as a pillar of unity and progress in advancing Africa’s development agenda through the AfDB,” he said.
Ngafuan’s new role brings to two the number of AfDB-related leadership positions he holds. During the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., in April, Ngafuan was also elected chair of the Standing Committee on Conditions of Service for Elected Officers of the AfDB. The committee, part of the AfDB Board of Governors, comprises finance ministers from member states.
Meanwhile, Ngafuan has been invited by the AfDB to serve as a panelist at a high-level knowledge event on “Building Effective Institutions in Africa for Harnessing Capital for Development,” scheduled for Friday, May 30.
He will join Ivorian Finance Minister Nialé Kaba, Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Dr. Ryadh M. Alkhareif, and three other distinguished panelists. The session will explore innovative approaches to help AfDB member states strengthen governance systems, attract capital, and implement institutional reforms to better leverage development financing.
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