Katsuya Ikkatai, Ambassador of Japan to Côte d'Ivoire, and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala, Senior Vice President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed an exchange of notes on Friday, February 17, 2023. This signing is part of the private sector assistance loan in Abidjan.

The loan agreement, worth 44.1 million yen, or $350 million, has an interest rate of 0.11% and a 30-year repayment period, with a 10-year grace period. This financing will make it possible to significantly finance the bank's operations in the private sector through credit lines. Indeed, the agreement between the AfDB and Japan is in line with the joint initiative known as Initiative d' assistance renforcée au secteur privé in Africa (EPSA). An initiative that makes it possible to finance the Bank's operations in the private sector through a line of credit from

Tshabalala announced after the signing ceremony that “this new agreement, which advances our collaboration, will build on the strong partnership we have established over the years and is in line with the vision of our president, Akinwunmi Adesina, and his call to further strengthen our collaboration with the Japan”.