France, May 31 -- The election of Sidi Ould Tah as president of the African Development Bank marks a new chapter for the institution amid high hopes for Africa's prosperity.

Mauritania's former economy minister, Sidi Ould Tah, has been elected to take the helm of the African Development Bank (AfDB), succeeding Nigeria's Akinwumi Adesina.

Tah now faces the challenge of steering the institution through a turbulent global economic climate, including the withdrawal of US funding.

Unlike his predecessor Adesina - who clinched the presidency after six rounds of voting in 2015 - Tah secured the prestigious role in just three rounds, capturing a commanding 76 percent of the vote.

Zambian economist Samuel Munzele Maimbo came a distant second w...