With more than 76 per cent of the vote, Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah has been elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), marking the strategic rise of a country that has long remained under the radar in continental diplomacy.
This outcome is the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes work. On May 29, 2025, Sidi Mohamed Ould Tah, 61, secured the presidency of the AfDB following a competitive third round.
With 76.18 per cent of total votes — including 72.37 per cent from African shareholders — he emerged ahead of heavyweight contenders like Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Munzele Maimbo (Zambia), and Bajabulile Tshabalala (South Africa).
For Mauritania, this is unprecedented: never before had one of its nationals held such a prominent pan-African post. But this success is not just personal; it is the fruit of a coherent and determined foreign policy.
Ould Tah, a former minister of Economic Affairs and seasoned financial expert, made his mark at the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), which he led from 2015.
Under his direction, the bank earned a “AAA” rating, and he was named “Development Banker of the Year” in 2022. He now follows Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, serving a five-year term starting in September 2025.
His election, however, goes far beyond qualifications. It crowns a sustained diplomatic effort launched under President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who held the presidency of the African Union in 2024.
That year, Mauritania stepped up its international profile, playing mediator in crises from the Sahel to Sudan and taking part in global debt discussions. As instability has rocked Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, Mauritania has quietly stood out as a stable and constructive partner.
Its refusal to antagonize France or seek media attention has enhanced its credibility across regional and linguistic blocs — from the Sahel and Maghreb to Gulf states and western allies.
This non-aligned approach, rooted in a history of quiet mediation, has paid dividends. In 2014, Nouakchott brokered peace talks in Mali. In 2017, it played a discreet yet pivotal role in facilitating a peaceful transition in The Gambia.
Long seen as peripheral, Mauritania is now a bridge-builder — and its diplomatic clout is being recognized.
A LINGUISTIC AND GEOPOLITICAL SHIFT
Ould Tah’s victory also reflects a broader rebalancing within African institutions. After a decade under an Anglophone leadership, the appointment of a Francophone — fluent as well in English and Arabic — affirms the weight of French-speaking Africa, often marginalized in pan-African governance.
“It’s not a power grab, but it’s a strong signal,” notes one senior regional figure.
That the message comes through Mauritania, a country at the crossroads of Arab, Francophone, and Sub-Saharan spheres, is particularly telling.
Now at the helm of the AfDB, Ould Tah must meet high hopes. His mission includes expanding infrastructure investment, strengthening support for entrepreneurs, facilitating climate finance, and improving credit access for youth and women. Success will demand sound management, political dexterity, and long-term vision.
The writer is an economist.
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