The African Capacity Building Foundation : rising to the challenge of capacity through a unique and innovative framework

The birth of the African Capacity Building Foundation on February 9, 1991, was the culmination of intense efforts and groundbreaking commitment to capacity building in Africa by Africa Governors of theWorld Bank, the Bank itself and the co-founding Institutions – the African Development Bank and the United Nations Development Program, as well as numerous other individuals. The successes chalked by ACBF towards attainment of its objectives have vindicated those who held the view that establishing an indigenous African institution, with focus on and commitment to the course of Africa's development was the right course of action at the time. Twenty years on, ACBF has supported nearly 250 projects and programs in 44 African countries and committed more than US$400 million to build capacity on the continent. Projects and programs supported by the Foundation have drawn synergy with and complemented countless other activities of various development institutions operating on the Continent. ACBF's support has been crucial in the building of development capacity in Africa, whether in ministries of finance and economic planning or central banks. For many among us who dedicated to this initiative and worked towards its realization,weremainhumbledby the opportunity to witness the twentieth anniversary of ACBF. . KeyWords: Africa, capacity building, capacity deficit, Consultative Group, disbursements, experimental framework, funding agreement, headquarters agreement, institutional framework, legal architecture, memorandumof understanding, sponsoring agencies, sustainable growth