More than 3,000 delegates are expected to gather in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, for the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, scheduled from May 25 to May 29, according to the institution.
The meetings will bring together heads of state, finance ministers, central bank governors, development partners and private sector leaders to debate Africa’s development financing challenges amid tightening global financial conditions.
This year’s gathering will mark the 61st Annual Meeting of the AfDB and the 52nd meeting of the African Development Fund (ADF), the bank’s concessional financing arm.
The AfDB said the theme for the 2026 edition is “Mobilising Africa’s Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World,” reflecting growing concerns over declining aid flows, rising borrowing costs and increasing global economic uncertainty.
A key focus of the discussions will be Africa’s estimated US$400 billion annual development financing gap, which continues to constrain investment in infrastructure, energy, food security, climate adaptation and job creation.
The meetings will be the first under the leadership of Sidi Ould Tah, who assumed office in September 2025.
According to the bank, one of Tah’s early achievements includes securing an US$11 billion replenishment for the African Development Fund in December 2025, aimed at supporting low-income and fragile African countries through grants and concessional loans.
Member countries have also pledged approximately US$182.7 million toward the replenishment process.
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A central agenda item in Brazzaville will be the proposed New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD), a framework designed to mobilise Africa’s estimated US$4 trillion in pension funds, insurance assets and sovereign wealth resources.
NAFAD was endorsed by African Union leaders during a summit in Addis Ababa in February 2026 and seeks to strengthen Africa’s financial sovereignty while expanding investment in infrastructure and small businesses.
The AfDB said the initiative is intended to help reduce reliance on external financing by channelling domestic institutional capital into productive investments.
The programme is part of broader efforts to address structural vulnerabilities in Africa’s development financing model, particularly in the context of shrinking global aid budgets and tighter international credit conditions.
In addition to high-level policy dialogues, the meetings will feature consultative sessions and knowledge-sharing forums focused on regional integration, private sector development and climate resilience.
Another major highlight will be the launch of the 2026 African Economic Outlook report on May 26, which provides updated macroeconomic forecasts and policy analysis for African countries and regions.
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The AfDB said the report will serve as a key reference point for policymakers and investors assessing economic conditions across the continent.
