“Africa is the world’s engine of growth,” says Serge Ekué, president of BOAD, the West African Development Bank. Despite the coups d’état of the last four years, the great Beninese banker remains very optimistic about the West African economy. But does he have to borrow at higher interest rates? And is he disappointed by the lack of international solidarity, particularly since COP29 on the climate? Online from Lomé, where the headquarters of BOAD, the Development Bank of UEMOA countries, is located, Serge Ekué, who also chairs the International Development Finance Club, IDFC, the club of 27 public development banks , answers questions from Christophe Boisbouvier.
RFI: Many Africans are disappointed by the result of COP 29 on the climate which released some 300 billion dollars per year for the countries of the South from 2035, when double was expected. Are you disappointed too?
Serge Ekué : In reality, the conference set a much more ambitious goal. So it’s still not bad and I remind you that this objective is to increase to 1300 billion per year, by 2035. This involves combining both the contributions of the public and private sectors, which is a novelty. So you know, I’m more of an optimist by nature and see the glass as half full. But the recognition of the position of the countries of the South by the countries of the North is an important step. It is now a matter of taking action and moving much faster.
The countries of the North refuse to give more if China and the rich oil countries of the Gulf do not also contribute. And in fact, have these countries, which have become rich, not also become big polluters and could pay more for the countries of the South?
Certainly. You know, our subject is not really there, in the countries of the South. Our subject is that the world recognizes that it is we who pay the price of climate change, the high price and this form of injustice must stop.
Among the future countries benefiting from climate finance, are the least developed countries not at risk of being the poor parents compared to middle-income countries?
This is the risk and ultimately, the greatest injustice here is that the weakest pay the highest price. Unfortunately, that’s how it is. And you see, the positioning of the West African Development Bank is precisely to fight against this injustice by equipping itself with the best technical and financial means possible to help ensure that the financing gap which is absolutely abysmal, and I weigh my words, may this gap be reduced as quickly as possible.
So, Guinea-Bissau will receive less than Ivory Coast?
Yes, yes, certainly, but our subject, you know, is article 1 of the Bank’s statutes which stipulates that we must work for the balanced development of our area. Balance. That is to say, we must work to ensure that it is the Union that wins and not one country against another.
And in your 2021-2025 strategic plan, what you call “Joliba”, is there an emblematic project in terms of infrastructure in West Africa?
Yes, because the corridor is part of it, eh! The Lagos-Dakar corridor, via Abidjan et cetera. That’s one of the projects. But I also remind you that we work to foster solidarity between us and we work a lot on regional projects. I remain optimistic because our Africa, and especially our sub-region in West Africa here, is growing strongly. A young, dynamic population. Growth rates are good, so we have the weakness to think that we are the growth engine of the world. The world is aging. Africa, and particularly our Africa, with a median age around 20 years, so we believe that the labor force, the world’s engine of growth, is in West Africa. This is indisputable.
Among the countries that are shareholders in your bank, there are Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso. Have the coups in these three countries damaged your image and weakened your international rating?
So what I can tell you is that, after 4 years, I have been president of this institution for 4 years, you will have noted that the international agency Moody has just confirmed our B 2A 1 rating and has just come with a stable outlook. We had a negative outlook and we just moved to a stable outlook. Which means that our structure, our bank, has demonstrated resilience, as we say in modern French. And succeeds thanks to its abilities, thanks to its energy, thanks to the leadership of its leaders. She manages to come out on top. Well, the task is not easy, but it doesn’t work too badly.
So you don’t have to borrow at a higher interest rate than before?
Everyone borrows at a higher rate. But the Bank is agile and we know how to adapt.
Following the recent tensions between ECOWAS and the three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, is your bank continuing its development projects in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso as before, or is it obliged to revise them downward?
The countries you mention are shareholders. So obviously, we are very careful. We are careful in the way we work. But I told you, our Union is solid. The West African Economic and Monetary Union is strong. We need, I remind you, stability and you know, “money doesn’t like noise”, they say. I quite agree with this adage.
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