Women steal the show at the African Banker Awards 2022

Two of the most prestigious awards at the African Banker Awards, the African Banker Icon and the Finance Minister of the Year, were awarded to two powerful African women, Ms Vera Songwe and the Honourable Minister Vera Esperan?a dos Santos Daves de Sousa, respectively.

Last night, the 16th?edition of the African Banker Awards Gala Ceremony took place at the Kempinski Hotel, in Accra, Ghana. The event, held under the High Patronage of the African Development Bank, was part of the Bank’s Annual Meetings programme.

The Awards are designed to recognize the reforms, rapid modernisation,?consolidation, integration and expansion of Africa’s banking and financial system.

Highlighting the progress that the industry has made in gender inclusivity, two women won two of the most prestigious awards given during the evening: the African Banker Icon and Finance Minister of the Year.

Ms Vera Songwe, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, was awarded the African Banker Icon Award for her tireless work in providing governments with the fiscal ammunition to deal with the impact of COVID-19.

"It really was a moment to demonstrate that Africa is resilient. I came to the table with an understanding of the menu of solutions because in 2008 I was on the other side [of the table] when SDRs were handed out to European economies [to stave off a financial crisis] … What we are focusing on at the ECA is prosperity. The ingredients are there for success; there is latent innovation; what we need to do is provide the infrastructure; the soft infrastructure, the hard infrastructure and the human capital to deliver the end game which is jobs, prosperity and a better life for all." Ms Songwe said in her acceptance speech.

Angola’s Finance Minister,?Hon Vera Esperan?a dos Santos Daves de Sousa, was recognised as the Finance Minister of the Year for her stand-out work in restoring stability and market confidence to her country.

"Today, our public debt is on a downward trajectory towards the sustainable levels we desire. Specially, as the result of fiscal policies focused on controlling the primary non-oil deficit and a result of our economic diversification policies." said Minister Daves de Sousa, highlighting the efforts made to ensure the Angolan national budget is balanced.

A total of 22 Awards were presented at the African Banker Awards 2022, to see the full list of winners click here.