When the U.S. Treasury transmits its annual report to Congress on the international financial institutions, few in Africa pause to read the fine print.
These reports are often regarded as instruments of Washington policymaking, not as mirrors reflecting Africa’s evolving agency. Yet the most recent report released on July 16, 2025, carries a message that is impossible to ignore: it recognises the election of Dr Sidi Ould Tah as President of the African Development Bank and situates his leadership as pivotal to American strategic and commercial interests in Africa.
This is not a minor footnote. It is a testament to how much has changed in the perception of African leadership at multilateral banks. For years, skepticism abounded in Washington regarding whether African-led institutions could align with the values of transparency, accountability, and private sector orientation that U.S. policymakers sought to uphold. Dr Tah’s campaign strategy and messaging, and successful historic election, coupled with a sustained campaign of engagement post-election with U.S. administration officials, members of Congress, think tanks, and philanthropic actors, has helped turn the tide of opinion.