Brazzaville, May 26 (IANS) The 61st Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) kicked off Tuesday in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo, with Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso attending and addressing the opening ceremony.
Held under the theme “Mobilising Africa’s Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World,” the meetings bring together finance ministers and central bank governors from the AfDB’s 81 member countries, as well as representatives from bilateral and multilateral development institutions, academia, non-governmental organisations, civil society and the private sector, Xinhua news agency reported.
Ludovic Ngatse, chair of the AfDB Board of Governors and Congolese minister of economy, planning, statistics and foresight, said the meetings provide an important platform for participants to discuss the bank’s future financing priorities and mark a turning point in the adjustment of its financial architecture.
AfDB Group President Sidi Ould Tah said Africa’s development must be driven by African leadership, noting that African countries need to strengthen their financing architecture and turn the continent’s opportunities into tangible development outcomes.
In his address, Sassou Nguesso said African countries should build a more coordinated financing framework in key areas such as infrastructure, education, health and agriculture.
He also thanked the AfDB for its long-standing support for infrastructure and agricultural development projects in the Republic of the Congo, and expressed the hope that the bank would fully play its role as a financing partner.
Following the opening ceremony, participating leaders held a high-level discussion on infrastructure development and other issues.
The meetings will run until May 29. Participants are expected to focus on ways to leverage Africa’s resources and young population better to mobilise capital at scale and strengthen the continent’s financial agency in global markets amid a rapidly changing and diversified global environment.
The AfDB is also launching the African Economic Outlook 2026 on day 2 of the event.
–IANS
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