America’s Duke University conferred the president of AFDB Dr akinwumi Adesina an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during its 2022 Commencement ceremonies in Durham, North Carolina.
Adesina received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of his career achievements in agriculture, and the innovative High 5 development priorities for Africa, which he conceived shortly after his election as President of the continent’s premier development finance institution in 2015.
. Duke University President Vincent E. Price said Adesina IS a globally renowned developmental economist. Akinwunmi Adeshina is currently the 8th president of the AFDB . As president, Dr. Adesina has launched high 5s, an initiative that has impacted lives of about 350,000,000 Africans by improving energy access, industrialization and food security. He serves as a commissioner for global climate commission for adaptation leading international efforts to help prepare countries to respond to the current and future impacts of climate change. He is also one of 23 global leaders spearheading a UN initiative to help world hunger and malnutrition before becoming president. Dr. Adesina served as the minister of agriculture in Nigeria where he led efforts to end corruption, attracted billions in private investments and helped address food insecurity. For his efforts, Dr. Adeshina was a recipient of the 2017 world food prize.
Giving his goodwill message, he commended all the speakers from Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Senegal etc for organizing the 2022 conference of speakers and heads of African parliament. In his speech, he emphasized on the effects of covid-19 on the economic growth in African countries. He talked about the 16% of vaccinated africans compared to the rest of the world. He urged the presidents not to lack towards the health sector and focus on the health care defense system which are rebuilding of local facilities, developing local vaccine manufacturing capabilities and build quality health care infrastructure. He made known the AFDB food emergency development plan worth about $1.5 billion to support African countries.
