The United Kingdom and Ghana on Tuesday co-hosted the 17th replenishment pledging conference of the African Development Fund (ADF) in London, bringing together African governments and global development partners to mobilise financing for the continent’s poorest countries.
The meeting, held at the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, underscored a shared push by London and Accra to promote African-led development, economic resilience and investment-driven growth.
The ADF is the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank, supporting low-income African countries in areas including climate resilience, infrastructure, job creation and economic recovery.
Senior officials attending the conference included Ludovic Ngatsé, chair of the African Development Bank’s Board of Governors and Congo’s minister of economy, as well as the heads of the Islamic Development Bank Group, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and the OPEC Fund for International Development.
Ghana’s Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem said Accra was committed to strengthening African ownership of the development agenda, noting that Ghana earlier this year joined four other African countries in pledging a combined $16 million to the fund.
“This was the first time all five countries in our constituency contributed to the ADF, demonstrating our commitment to reforms and partnerships that deliver tangible results,” he said.
UK Development Minister Jenny Chapman said the conference reflected Britain’s evolving approach to Africa, shifting from aid-focused support toward investment-led partnerships.
“The UK is proud to co-host the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund alongside Ghana,” she said, adding that London’s role as a global financial centre was key to mobilising private capital for African development.
In May, Ghana pledged US$5 million to the fund alongside The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan, marking a rare instance of coordinated African contributions to the ADF. The African Development Bank said the countries involved had undertaken fiscal and governance reforms aligned with its performance-based financing model.
Officials said the current replenishment round is expected to attract increased participation from African countries, signalling growing regional ownership of development financing.
Ghana’s co-hosting role also aligns with President John Mahama’s “Reset Agenda”, which seeks to position Accra as a hub for global development dialogue and advocate for fairer international financial systems.
The UK, meanwhile, said its renewed Africa strategy emphasises trade, climate action, innovation and African-led institutions, reinforcing what both countries described as a partnership of equals.
