Yaoundé: Léandre Bassolé, the new Director General of the African Development Bank Group's Regional Office for Development, Integration, and Business Delivery for Central Africa, officially took office on 27 August 2025, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Bassolé presented his letters of introduction to Oumarou Chinmoun, Secretary General of the Cameroonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representing Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella. Discussions between the two figures highlighted the Bank's strategic role in the development of Cameroon and the sub-region.

According to African Press Organization, Chinmoun expressed the government's satisfaction with the Bank's decision to position its headquarters in Cameroon, emphasizing the strong cooperative relationship between the country and the Bank. The regional office is set to cover seven countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, DRC, and Chad.

Bassolé underlined the Bank's priority to enhance its operational presence, expedite project implementation, and amplify the impact of projects in the region. He stated that the Bank's commitments in Cameroon amount to approximately $2.2 billion, with a significant focus on the transport sector, followed by energy and agriculture.

The Bank's strategy involves making Yaoundé a centre of excellence for regional operations, with Bassolé affirming collaboration with Cameroonian authorities to develop projects that sustainably improve living conditions. As of 30 June 2025, the African Development Bank Group's portfolio in Cameroon included 24 projects valued at $2.2 billion, while in the Central Africa region, it comprised 130 operations totaling over $5 billion, including around 40 regional and multinational projects.