The Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has been designated as the Returning Officer for the presidential elections of the African Development Bank (AfDB) during the institution’s ongoing Annual Meetings.
These elections are being conducted to appoint a successor to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the 8th elected President of the AfDB Group, who was initially elected on May 28, 2015, by the Bank’s Board of Governors at its Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
He said, “I am honoured to have been appointed as the Returning Officer for the presidential elections of the African Development Bank (AfDB), taking place today.”
Five candidates from across the continent are competing for the presidency:
In his capacity as Returning Officer, Dr. Forson is tasked with guaranteeing the integrity and seamless execution of the voting process, as stipulated in Article 5 of the Bank’s electoral regulations.
His responsibilities encompass verifying that the ballot box is empty prior to each voting round, confirming that the number of ballots cast corresponds with the number of eligible voters, rejecting invalid ballots, and certifying that only legitimate votes are counted.
He will be assisted by the Secretary General, the General Counsel, and a technical team dedicated to ensuring the precision of vote tabulation in accordance with Article 7 of the regulations.
Dr. Forson’s appointment to this crucial role signifies the confidence that the AfDB Board of Governors has in his integrity, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to transparency and good governance within multilateral financial institutions.
