Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has revealed that Afreximbank guaranteed the procurement of 400 million doses of Johnson and Johnson COVID19 vaccines.
According to him, the move provided access to 30% of Africa’s population and some Caribbean countries.
Speaking at the 30th Anniversary Celebration and 30th Annual Meetings of shareholders of Afreximbank held in Accra on Monday, he said "Additionally, in a landmark transaction, with Strive Masiyiwa, of US$2 billion financing deal in 2021, Afreximbank guaranteed the procurement of 400 million doses of Johnson and Johnson COVID19 vaccines that provided access to 30% of Africa’s population and some Caribbean countries.
He added that the leadership Prof. Oramah, Afrexim Bank disbursed over US$7 billion to assist African economies in addressing the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.
"Our aspirations must be to build on a deeper sense of shared responsibility and ensure our institutions are supported enough to crowd in trillions of dollars worth of financing into Africa"
"Indeed, with a mandate that combines social, economic, financial, and environmental goals, under the guidance of President Oramah, can contribute an incredible amount of work toward our collective goal of achieving a prosperous Africa within the next 30 years of the Bank’s existence"
The Finance Minister also revealed that in 1961, Korea’s GDP was US$82 per capita and 60 years later in 2022 it was about US$33,400. We have 30 years to achieve this for our 1.4 billion people.
"In essence, our ambition must be to ensure we position the Bank as a bridge extending forward so that our people can walk across to a place where they have a better sense of agency about the course of their lives"
"Ladies and Gentlemen, as we contemplate the effects of the recent “poly-crises” and deliberate on the future of our EXIM bank, it is increasingly clear that now is the moment of fierce urgency to deliver on our Bank’s vision of building prosperity and improving the fortunes of 1.4 billion lives on our Continent- a continent that by 2050 would have a quarter of the world’s population, and about 850 million youth"
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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