During the 2025 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group (WBG), the Executive Director for Africa Group II (EDS13), Mr. Harold Tavares, welcomed the Governors and delegations from the 23 member countries to Washington, D.C., for the Group’s biannual meeting under the theme “Strengthening Our Collective Commitment and Shared Ambition.”
The event provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress made since the start of Mr. Tavares’ tenure on November 1, 2024, and to reaffirm shared priorities: scaling up development financing, accelerating energy access – particularly through the Mission 300 initiative – and ensuring full participation in WBG governance, notably in relation to the 2018 IBRD capital increase.
Among the key announcements, Mr. Tavares welcomed the appointment of Ms. Marlène Suzie Nzengou as the first female Alternate Executive Director in the history of Africa Group II and the Group’s future first female Executive Director.
The meeting addressed several strategic priorities:
• IDA21: Finalizing the replenishment of $100 billion in resources, despite recent uncertainties regarding commitments from key donors;
• Mission 300: Launching a joint initiative with the African Development Bank to expand electricity access for 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, supported by collective advocacy during the Annual Meetings in Marrakech;
• 2018 IBRD Capital Increase: Emphasizing the need for member countries to complete their subscriptions to safeguard the Group’s voting power and representation, especially in the context of the ongoing shareholding review;
• Health Partnerships: Strengthening collaboration, notably with Gavi, ahead of the upcoming replenishment summit scheduled for June 2025.
• Presentation of the office mission and vision: The Executive Director presented the mission and vision of the office, outlining the various actions planned to fulfill these goals to the Governors.
In conclusion, Mr. Tavares reiterated his commitment to championing the interests of Africa Group II at the Board and to enhancing direct engagement with member country capitals. He called for maintaining an ambitious collective course to tackle upcoming challenges and seize emerging opportunities.
