The Government of Côte d’Ivoire and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have formalized an agreement to host the Bank Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, where the AfDB headquarters is located. The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlines the legal and organizational framework for the event, which will take place from May 26 to 30, 2025.
The Annual Meetings bring together member countries to review the Bank’s operations and set key development resolutions for Africa. At the 2024 meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire was selected to host the 2025 session. The gathering will include the 60th Annual Meeting of the AfDB and the 50th Meeting of the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional arm for low-income countries.
Nialé Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Economy, Planning, and Development, and AfDB Governor, signed the agreement alongside Professor Vincent O. Nmehielle, Secretary General of the African Development Bank Group. Kaba emphasized the importance of hosting a successful event, highlighting Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to providing an exceptional organizational framework that reflects its renowned hospitality and commitment to African unity.
“These meetings will offer a strategic platform to assess Africa’s economic progress, tackle challenges, and shape the continent’s development in the face of geopolitical and socio-economic shifts,” Kaba stated.
Professor Nmehielle, representing AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, expressed gratitude to the Ivorian government for its consistent support. He praised the efficient preparations made by the working teams, following a September 2024 preparatory mission, and commended the production of the high-quality MOU within the set timeline.
The 2025 Annual Meetings will be significant as they coincide with the election of a new AfDB President, with Dr. Adesina completing his second and final term. The Board of Governors will elect a new president on May 29, 2025, for a renewable five-year term.
Attracting over 3,000 delegates annually, the meetings gather AfDB governors, executive directors, development partners, philanthropists, academics, private sector leaders, civil society representatives, and the media.
Côte d’Ivoire holds a prominent role within the AfDB Group. Since 2015, AfDB’s support to the country has surged more than fivefold, from USD 460 million in 2015 to USD 3.1 billion in 2023. The Bank’s investments span sectors such as transport, energy, agriculture, health, education, water and sanitation, ICT, industrialization, governance, climate action, and skills development.
