On September 1, 2025, in Abidjan, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah was officially sworn in as the ninth president of the African Development Bank, watched by the Ivorian and Mauritanian presidents. Behind the protocol, this event highlights the decisive role of political and regional balances in the governance of Africa's leading financial institution.

The joint presence of Alassane Ouattara and Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani was not simply a diplomatic gesture. It reflected a shared recognition of the AfDB's strategic role in the development financing agenda and, more broadly, in asserting African priorities vis-à-vis external partners. The election of Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, a Mauritanian figure from the world of finance and development, reflects this subtle balance between regional areas of influence, representational logic, and technical governance requirements.

This renewal comes at a time when Africa is preparing to intensify its industrialization, energy transition, and regional integration projects. The AfDB, with its strong role as a financial catalyst, is now expected not only for its ability to mobilize resources, but also for its ability to arbitrate between sometimes divergent interests. Dr. Ould Tah's mandate will therefore focus as much on consolidating financial credibility as on managing geopolitical power relations within the institution.

By placing Abidjan, the AfDB's headquarters, at the heart of this handover, the event serves as a reminder that major African economic directions are not decided solely by balance sheet figures, but also by the diplomacy of balances that structure continental governance.