Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has been appointed as the Returning Officer for the presidential elections of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The election will take place today, May 29, 2025, as part of AfDB’s Annual Meetings.
Five candidates are vying for the seat: Amadou Hott from Senegal, Dr. Samuel Munzele Maimbo from Zambia, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah from Mauritania, Abbas Mahamat Tolli from Chad, and Ms. Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala from South Africa.
The winner will succeed Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the 8th elected President of the AfDB Group.
Dr. Adesina was elected on May 28, 2015, by the Bank’s Board of Governors during its Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
As Returning Officer, Dr. Forson is tasked with upholding the integrity and smooth conduct of the voting process in line with Article 5 of the Bank’s electoral rules.
He will verify that the ballot box is empty before each round, confirming the number of ballots cast matches the number of eligible voters, rejecting invalid ballots, and certifying that only valid votes are counted.
In a post on X formerly Twitter, Dr. Forson disclosed that he will be supported by the Secretary General, the General Counsel, and a technical team charged with ensuring the accuracy of vote tabulation, as stipulated in Article 7 of the rules.
I am honoured to have been appointed as the Returning Officer for the presidential elections of the African Development Bank (AfDB), taking place today.
The elections will determine the next President of the AfDB Group, following the conclusion of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina’s tenure.… pic.twitter.com/e1KpgyJFZi
— Cassiel Ato Forson (PhD) (@Cassielforson) May 29, 2025
Dr. Forson’s appointment highlights the confidence the AfDB Board of Governors has in his integrity, professionalism, and commitment to transparency and good governance in multilateral financial institutions.
Source: Ministry of Finance
