Freetown, 21st July, 2026 — Sierra Leone’s economic partnership with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) received renewed momentum this week as Dr Abdul B. Kamara, Acting Vice President for Country and Regional Operations, engaged Finance Minister Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura in high-level talks following the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit.
Dr Kamara, a Sierra Leonean native who represented AfDB President Dr Akinwumi Adesina at the regional summit, paid a courtesy call on Minister Bangura at his George Street office in Freetown. The Finance Minister congratulated him on his appointment, describing his rise within the Bank as “a source of national pride.”
The meeting focused on reviewing AfDB’s interventions in Sierra Leone, assessing the country’s project portfolio, and identifying financing opportunities for priority national initiatives. Discussions covered ongoing AfDB-backed projects in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure, alongside budget support and innovative financing mechanisms designed to cushion economies against global financial and security shocks.
Dr Kamara’s one-day mission also included an audience with President Julius Maada Bio and a visit to the AfDB-supported Guma Valley facility in Regent — a symbolic stop that underscored the Bank’s commitment to tangible development outcomes.
With more than three decades of experience in development finance and policy, Dr Kamara currently oversees AfDB’s $6.4 billion Nigeria portfolio as Director General of the Bank’s Nigeria Country Department. His career spans senior roles across Africa and the United Nations, including leadership positions in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Darfur, as well as research work on water management, food policy, and livestock development.
The visit signals a renewed push by the AfDB to deepen its partnership with Sierra Leone, ensuring critical sectors receive the support needed to drive sustainable growth and resilience.
— MOF Communications
