H. E. Mr. Medhat S. Lotfy, Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) arrives today, Sunday 23rd May 2004 at Kampala, capital of the Republic of Uganda, as part of a regional visit to the Republics of Uganda and Mozambique extending from 23rd May to 4th June 2004.

During his visit to the Republic of Uganda, he will be received by H.E. MR. YOWERI MUSEVENI the President of the Republic of Uganda, and the Vice President, in addition to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, and other high ranking officials.

Talks will cover areas of cooperation between the Republic of Uganda and BADEA, with the objective of exploring the best means to promote and develop the relations and realize the objectives of development in Uganda.

During the same period the Director General will participate in the 39th Annual Meeting of African Development Bank Group (ADB), which will take place in Kampala during the period 25 – 26 May 2004. The Director General will meet during this event their Excellences the African Ministers of Finance participating in the said meeting. Talks with these ministers will focus on cooperation between BADEA and their countries and in this regards some loan agreements will be signed with some of African beneficiary countries.

By the end of March 2004, BADEA’s assistance to Uganda consisted of 12 projects and 9 technical assistance operations totalling the sum of US $ 85.13 million. BADEA’s contribution in the projects financed in Uganda were well timed to meet the economic development of the country, and covered Infrastructure, Agriculture, Energy sectors in addition to the Private sector.

It is worth mentioning that BADEA was one of the first Multilateral Institution that had extended Debt Relief for Uganda in the framework of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. It is worth noting that BADEA was created pursuant to the decision of the 6th Arab Summit Conference at Algiers (28th November 1973), and began its operations in March 1975. Its Headquarters is based in Khartoum, the capital of the Republic of Sudan.

The Bank was established for the purpose of strengthening economic, financial and technical cooperation between Arab and African regions, to make Arab-African solidarity a concrete reality and to base this cooperative venture on foundations of friendship and equality. To this end, the Bank was given a mandate to :

 • Assist in financing economic development in non-Arab African countries.

 • Stimulate the contribution of Arab capital flows to African development.

 • Help provide the technical assistance required for development in Africa.

BADEA’s financing operations have expanded since 1975, reaching US $ 2780.598 million by end of March 2004; this includes the loans provided through SAAFA (Special Arab Aid Fund for Africa) amounting to of US $ 214.2 million. The allocations have been earmarked to finance 346 development projects, 311 technical assistance operations, 25 loans for the private sector and 14 special operations (in the context of Emergency Aid Programme benefiting several African countries effected by drought and desertification), in addition to 59 loans extended through SAAFA.

BADEA’s commitments to the technical assistance operations reached, during the same period, US $ 75.004 million dollar, until end of March 2004 earmarked to finance feasibility studies and institutional support.

BADEA’s operations cover all the 43 eligible countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to a number of regional organizations. The operations cover infrastructure, agriculture and rural development, rural water, electricity, rural roads, animal and fish production, energy, industry, social and the banking sector over and above technical assistance operations.

The projects selected by BADEA are those, which are directed towards improving the living conditions of the people and easing the pressure on them and reducing poverty, particularly those projects related to rural development and environment such as rural water supply and sewage, or those aiming at reducing negative impact of drought and desertification. This is obviously in line with current approaches to development.