African development bank in Abidjan closed until further notice

The headquarters of the African Development Bank (ADB) in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan will be closed this Friday until further notice, said an authorized source.

"The administrative board of the pan-African financial institution approved the implementation of the emergency back-up plan. The decision was taken after the United Nations decided on February 5th to temporarily relocate some of its staff outside Cote d'Ivoire, torn by a politico-military crisis," said the source.

Under the relocation plan, about 450 of the ADB's estimated 1,200 employees will be evacuated.

ADB president, Omar Kabbaj, announced last April an emergency back-up plan to relocate the bank in Tunis.