ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Prof Meshach Aziakpono

Professor of Development Finance at the Stellenbosch Business School

Meshach Aziakpono (PhD) is a Professor of Development Finance. He obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Economics and Statistics with a Second Class Hons Upper Division in 1994 at the University of Benin; a Master of Science degree in Economics in 1998 at the University of Ibadan, and a PhD in Economics in 2008 at the University of the Free State. His research has focused on the broad areas of financial integration and financial sector development and monetary policy issues in Africa with strong emphasis in applied econometrics.

Dr Olufunso Somorin

Regional Principal Office, African Development Bank//Eisenhower Fellow

Dr. Olufunso Somorin is a Regional Principal Officer at the African Development Bank. He leads the Bank’s work on climate change and green growth in the 13 countries of the Bank’s East African region. This includes supporting countries’ access to climate finance for implementing their climate actions, and mainstreaming climate change in all Bank policies and programs. He also leads policy dialogues with national/regional governments on developing policy frameworks for managing local/regional economic and social issues, climate change, renewable energy, resilience and inclusive growth.

Between 2013 and 2017, he coordinated the Bank’s work on addressing fragility and building resilience within the Horn of Africa. In the last 10 years, he has been directly involved in the design, appraisal, and supervision of more than 170 development projects worth about USD 15.4 billion.