Five women have been appointed as executive directors at the African Development Bank (AfDB) for a three-year term.

The female executives were among the 12 new representatives welcomed by the bank’s president Akinwumi Adesina to the 20-member Board of Directors, according to a statement from the financial institution.

Adesina said the new board members would strengthen the corporation's functions and help it reach its vision.

He said: “I wish to congratulate you, the new board members, on your election as Executive Directors, who will have the duty, obligation, and responsibility to help strengthen the oversight functions of our institution, to provide guidance on our operations, and to support the vision and direction of our work."

The inauguration of the new board has increased the number of female representatives from three to five. The women on the board include South Africa’s Nomfundo Xenia Ngwenya, who will represent South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. In addition, Malika Dhif from Morocco who will serve as the new executive director for Morocco, Togo and Tunisia.

Mette Knudsen, a Danish national, who will represent Denmark, Finland, India, Ireland, Norway and Sweden, while Oren Elaine Whyche, who has been in the Africa Bureau of the US Agency for International Development, will represent the US. 

Meanwhile, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad will be represented by Chantal Modeste Nonault, an administrative and financial director of the World Bank regional office in Mali.

The increase in the number of female executives on the AfDB board suggests the bank recognises the integral and positive contributions of women to the economic development and social progress of African countries.