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Tshabalala said having worked for organisations like MTN and Standard Bank, which have operations all over the continent, she understands the potential that a developing and productive Africa has on creating jobs for its young people.
In addition, the fact that she is a woman means she also brings an additional perspective.
“SA feels very strongly that, after 60 years, it was time the bank had a woman at its helm. SA is very much committed to gender equality,” she said, adding that more and more women in Africa were taking up leadership roles.
“They [SA] felt very strongly that it should be a woman who runs the bank, so that we also focus on the fact that women make up 50% of this continent’s population. And we need to make sure that they are leading its transformation and not just waiting in the back to be assisted from time to time, but leading, not just at [the bank], but in organisations across Africa,” she said.
She said as part of her “Lift Africa” strategy, it was important to address the lack of integrated infrastructure, which is important for improving inter-African trade.
“The productivity of African businesses depends on them having reliable roads to get to markets, having access to a stable electricity supply, so that they don’t have to worry about load shedding.
“You can imagine that there are lots of businesses that start providing services and products to a local community but can’t go beyond that because there are no roads. They don’t have access to other markets or are limited to working from their home because they can’t get buildings and factories where they can expand their production,” she said.
Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank, will step down in September, and the election for a new head of the institution will be held on May 29.
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