Published: October 15, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC. — Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan on Tuesday presided over a high-level meeting between the new African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, and finance ministers of the Bank’s Constituency 15, on the sidelines of the ongoing IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings.
The meeting brought together top fiscal policymakers from Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan, with Minister Ngafuan serving as Chair of the constituency.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), discussions were “frank and forward-looking,” focusing on mobilizing resources for Africa’s development and tackling the continent’s mounting debt challenges.
“We delved deeply into the critical issue of debt sustainability, pressing for the AfDB’s robust support for debt restructuring programs that can provide fiscal breathing room for our nations, including my own, Liberia,” Ngafuan said.
The ministers also discussed ways to accelerate the implementation of AfDB-funded projects across member countries to ensure faster delivery of results that improve citizens’ livelihoods.
Attendees included Dr. Cassiel Oto Forson of Ghana, Gibril Ibrahim of Sudan, Seedy K. M. Keita of The Gambia, and Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura of Sierra Leone.
Ngafuan emphasized the need for collective action among member states to strengthen the constituency’s influence within the AfDB and enhance coordination with the Bank’s leadership.
“This dialogue reinforced my belief that a unified voice is essential for advancing our developmental priorities,” Ngafuan added.
The meeting marked one of the first engagements between President Tah and constituency finance ministers since his appointment, underscoring a shared commitment to sustainable financing, stronger governance, and inclusive economic growth across Africa.
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