News

The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) recently participated at the Eastern and Southern Africa Trade and Development Bank (TDB) Annual General Meetings. This TDB AGM was hosted by the Republique of Mozambique, through the Ministry of Economy and Finance and was held in Maputo, Mozambique on July 29-30, 2024. 

The official Opening of this meeting was presided over by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, H.E. Dr. Adriano Afonso Maleiane, who delivered the keynote address, while Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, made remarks virtually. The President of the TDB, Mr. Admassu Tadesse, expressed appreciation to all the Governors and their delegations for participation and presented results of outcome for the financial year 2023.

This meeting also saw the election of the new TDB Group Chairperson, H.E. Ernesto Max Elias Tonela, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Mozambique. He takes over from the outgoing Chairperson, H.E. Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u, the former Minister of Finance and Planning of the Republic of Kenya. Prof. Victor Murinde, Executive Director of the AERC represented the Consortium at the meetings. The AERC has since 2019 been a shareholder of the TDB, participating in the annual general meetings hosted in different locations.

With the TDB AGM theme focused on Fostering Sustainable Green and Inclusive Future with a Focus on Financial Energy and Food Security, the Governors and their Delegations were engaged in a panel discussion on “Synergy, Creativity and Agility in DFI Collaboration”.

On the sidelines of the TDB AGM, Prof. Murinde engaged the TDB President, Mr. Admassu Tadesse in discussions geared towards deepening the collaboration between the AERC and TDB. Among the issues discussed were securing a new home for AERC at the TDB Building in Nairobi and leveraging on AERC’s extensive experience in building research capacity to develop and run short-term executive trainings at the TDB Academy. The AERC will be following-up on these collaborative opportunities over the next few months.

Prof. Murinde was accompanied by three AERC staff – Dr. Tom Kimani, Lead Manager, Training Programmes, Ms. Lydiah Auma, Strategic Partnerships Lead and Ms. Anna Owino, Personal Assistant to the Executive Director. 

At the backdrop of the TDB AGM in Maputo, the AERC team held a monitoring mission to the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo on 31 July 2024. The focus of the mission was to meet and interact with the university administrative staff, teaching faculty and students of the Department of Economics and Agricultural Development, with a view of sensitizing them about AERC’s research and training programmes. 

As the AERC seeks to expand its reach to universities in Lusophone countries, the Eduardo Mondlane University has been identified as a significant partner in realizing this goal. The expected key outcome of this engagement will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by the AERC Executive Director, Prof. Victor Murinde and Prof. Manuel Guilherme Júnior, Eduardo Mondlane University Rector to establish a framework for future collaboration between the two institutions.