August 27, 2007 (2:00 p.m. EDT)
No. 118
In his capacity as Governor for Canada to the African Development Bank (AfDB)
Group, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced
the nomination of Bruce Montador as Canada’s Executive Director at the AfDB,
effective September 15, 2007. Mr. Montador will also be the representative for China,
South Korea, Kuwait and Spain. He will replace François Arsenault, who has dedicated
himself to the promotion of Canada’s interests and objectives at the AfDB for the past
four years.
“I am pleased that Mr. Montador will serve on the AfDB Board of Executive Directors,”
said Minister Bernier. “Canada attaches particular importance to our relations with
Africa. The AfDB is an important partner in our efforts to advance equitable
development and good governance in the region. Mr. Montador has strong credentials
for this position and is well qualified to advance the important work of the Bank.”
Mr. Montador is currently the Vice-President of the Multilateral Programs Branch at
CIDA, a position he has held since 2003. This position has given him a broad
understanding of the multilateral development system and in-depth working knowledge
of the AfDB and the challenges it faces. He is known to officials at the AfDB, including
its president.
The AfDB Group seeks to be the premier financial development institution of Africa,
dedicated to combatting poverty and improving the lives of people in its regional
member countries. Half of the population in Africa lives on less than $1 per day. For the
Bank Group, poverty alleviation is central to the achievement of long-term sustainable
development of the continent. The Bank Group consists of the African Development
Bank, which provides non-concessional lending and technical assistance; the African
Development Fund (ADF), which provides concessional lending and technical
assistance; and the Nigerian Trust Fund, which provides concessional lending.
The AfDB Group was established in 1964 and headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Due to political unrest in the host country, the Bank is temporarily located in Tunis. The
Bank’s members include 53 countries in Africa, as well as 24 non-regional countries,
including Canada, which joined in 1982. Canada is currently the fifth-largest participant
in the ADF.
For additional information on the AfDB Group, please visit http://www.afdb.org.
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A biographical note on the nominee is attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Bruce Montador was born in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. He holds a BSc (Honours
Mathematics) from the University of British Columbia, and an MSc and PhD in
Mathematics from the Université de Montréal. He did graduate work in economics at
Queen’s University. Prior to joining CIDA in 2002, he held senior positions in the
Department of Finance, the Bank of Canada, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
