The African Development Bank (AfDB) is zealous of charting an incisive partnership with the media in Africa to change the narrative to positive developments.

Dr Victor Oladokun, Director of Communication and External Media Relations of the Bank disclosed this at an orientation programme for select Journalists from Africa invited to familiarise themselves with evidence-based Model Village project as a success story in Yamousokro, Cote d'Ivoire.

It is a partnership between the Bank and the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund to remodel poor and rural areas into zones of economic growth and prosperity.

The aim of the programme is to allow them to familiarise with development projects of the Bank and own its reportage rather than receiving press releases.
He noted there are many positive success stories to be told about the continent and the Bank was committed to championing that collaboration for especially its H5 development agenda to get the desired participation by all stakeholders.

The Bank's H5 entails Lighting up Africa, Feed Africa, Integrate Africa, Industrialise Africa and Improve Quality of life on the continent.

Dr Oladokun said the Bank was therefore undertaking an intensive engagement with the media, forging closer ties, supporting and providing resources to showcase its projects to the masses.

"Help us focus attention on some of the prevailing issues, help us in our work. We believe in telling our stories with evidence and no longer bore you with data and statistics, he said.

The Director of Communication said the Bank had stepped up its new Business Delivery Model offices to 40 from the 14 previous ones tended to bring direct business to the doorstep of customers.

He said development under a centralised system was inimical for rapid development and the way to go was private, public partnership to change the face of doing business in the continent.

"We believe in the future of Africa. Development is evidence-based and we are glad to provide it."

Dr Oladokun said all rating agencies scored the Bank AAA in fronts including; risk management, liquidity and financing, an indication his outfit was doing well.

He said enormous progress had been achieved including; the Cape Town to Cairo highway road network yet the continent was expected to feed about 2 billion of its population (the population of China and India combined) and there was need to prepare the continent through multiple approaches.