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Kenya’s President Ruto awards African Development Bank’s Adesina highest national honour

(Source: African Development Bank)Kenya’s President H.E. William Samoei Ruto has conferred the country’s highest honour, Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart CGH, on the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.Dr Adesina becomes the 20th recipient of the honour that was established in 1967 and first awarded to Kenya’s founding father and former President, H.E. Jomo Kenyatta. Others include globally renowned leaders such as former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni and Kenya’s subsequent Presidents Daniel arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta and Dr Ruto.Dr. Akinwumi Adesina receives the prestigious honor of the Chief of the Order of Golden Heart from Kenyan President Dr. William Samoei Ruto. During a colourful investiture ceremony at Nairobi’s State House, President Ruto praised Dr Adesina’s distinguished service, commitment, and passion for the economic development of Kenya and Africa.President Ruto congratulated Adesina and told him, “You are amazing. You are a great leader. You deserve this honour and investiture.” The two leaders share a warm relationship that dates back 20 years when Adesina lived and worked in Kenya for the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA. At that time Ruto was Kenya’s Minister for Agriculture. Both recalled how they worked together to provide subsidies to farmers despite opposition at the time from some donors and global financial institutions.President Ruto said under his presidency he has continued with the same policy of offering subsidies to farmers, leading to an increase in the country’s food production. “Our maize production increased from 40 million to 70 million bags last year. Our sales from tea, generated more than 220 billion shillings [approximately $1.7 billion], the highest ever earnings.” “I am proud of the journey we started together ten years ago; I can see its fruits. Kenyans can feel its benefits,” President Ruto told Adesina who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Grace Yemisi Adesina. “I am proud of the journey we started together ten years ago; I can see its fruits. Kenyans can feel its benefits,” President Ruto told Adesina who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Grace Yemisi Adesina. In its citation, the Kenya government recognized Adesina as a distinguished economist and a global development leader.The Bank’s support for the private sector in Kenya includes over $700 million in lines of credit to more than eight commercial banks.President Ruto said the Bank’s support to the country’s mortgage sector has boosted the government’s national housing programme, with 150,000 houses under construction, generating jobs for 260, 000 youth.“Dr Adesina transformed the African Development Bank into a globally recognized institution for financial innovation and development impact and under his leadership, the Bank’s general capital grew from $93 billion to $318 billion.” Speaking about Kenya’s high youth unemployment, Adesina pointed to several youth riots that shook the country last year.In addition to providing $309 million for eight on-going projects targeting skills development, Adesina said the Bank is preparing for Board approval, financial support for the establishment of a Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank of Kenya. “This will be a stand-alone financial institution, that will be 100 percent dedicated to providing technical assistance, debt and equity financing for youth businesses in Kenya.”