afrol News, 25 July - Following a UN downgrade of the security alert level in Côte d'Ivoire earlier this year, now also the African Development Bank (ADB) considers the country's economic capital, Abidjan, a safer place. This could lead to a sooner return of the bank to its Abidjan headquarters.

In February this year, ADB - Africa's main financial institution - decided on "the temporary relocation of the Bank's operations to Tunis." ADF had earlier evacuated its Abidjan headquarters in response to the tensions in Côte d'Ivoire and has largely remained dysfunctional.

The Bank's executive board this week however "decided to downgrade the security alert level in Cote d'Ivoire to Phase III for the City of Abidjan" and to maintain a Phase IV security alert level for the rest of the country, according to a press release issued today.

The ADB thus follows a similar assessment by the United Nations of May this year, which revised the security alert level in Côte d'Ivoire under the UN system from Phase IV to Phase III for the City of Abidjan only.

This week's decision follows an earlier decision made on 7 February by the ADB board, which triggered the implementation of the Bank's emergency plan and continuity of its activities "in conformity with the Bank's integrated strategy for continuity of its activities and staff security in emergency situations."

The question of relocation of the ADB's headquarters had been discussed even before the Ivorian civil war, which now has formally ended. Due to the general security in Abidjan, there was strong advocacy for a permanent relocation to Tunis, but this was down at a vote in December last year.

After the unrest in Abidjan turned violent late last year and security for ADB staff could not longer be guaranteed, the Bank had sent approximately 400 staff members to Paris and Tunis "for business continuity and to maintain essential functions of the Bank." The remaining internationally-recruited staff had been evacuated to their home countries.

Meanwhile, the Bank's operations from Tunis seem to take a more permanent character, although this is categorically denied by ADB leaders. Nonetheless, the Bank is already looking more closely into plans to decentralise its administration to avoid similar crises in the future.

The African Development Bank one of the city's major employers and is central to Abidjan's image of a financial centre. A permanent relocation could therefore have meant unfortunate and spreading economic consequences for the city.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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