The OPEC Fund for International Development warned that decades of progress in global development are facing renewed pressure from geopolitical conflicts, economic volatility, climate change and technological disruption as the institution marks its 50th anniversary.
Progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals has slowed and, in some areas, reversed, according to a foreword by OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa published to mark the institution’s Golden Jubilee.
The warning comes as governments and development institutions confront a more challenging financing environment while demographic changes and climate pressures increase demands for investment in infrastructure, energy, health, agriculture and other essential services.
“Today’s global landscape is defined by profound challenges,” Alkhalifa said, citing geopolitical conflict, economic volatility, climate pressures, technological disruption and demographic shifts.
Despite those pressures, the OPEC Fund said the past five decades demonstrate the potential for sustained international cooperation to deliver long-term improvements in living standards.
Global gross domestic product increased to $117.2 trillion in 2025 from $6.3 trillion in 1976, while average per-capita income rose to more than $14,000 from $1,585, according to figures cited by Alkhalifa.
The institution said the period also brought significant gains in reducing extreme poverty, improving public health, expanding access to education and strengthening food security.
The OPEC Fund, established in 1976, has committed tens of billions of dollars to development projects across partner countries, financing sectors including transport, energy, agriculture, financial institutions, health, and water and sanitation.
The fund highlighted the impact of its more recent operations. Between 2018 and 2025, projects it supported provided 3.2 million households with access to electricity and added 6.2 gigawatts of power-generation capacity, including 1.5 gigawatts from renewable sources.
Its projects also enhanced healthcare services for 33.9 million people during the period, according to the institution.
The figures underscore the role of development finance institutions in directing capital toward infrastructure and social services that can underpin longer-term economic growth, particularly in countries where access to financing remains constrained.
The OPEC Fund said its evolution over five decades has taken it from a Special Fund into a development finance institution with a presence in international capital markets.
Alkhalifa said the institution’s ability to adapt while maintaining its core purpose would be critical as the global development environment becomes more uncertain.
“Development is not static,” he said, adding that institutions must evolve alongside the needs of the communities and countries they serve.
The fund’s anniversary theme, “Where Partnership Powers Progress,” reflects its emphasis on cooperation between member countries, partner governments and communities.
Alkhalifa said the institution would maintain its focus on sustainable development and continue using its experience and partnerships to support projects intended to produce lasting improvements in people’s lives.
The OPEC Fund’s 50-year milestone comes as the gap between development financing needs and available resources remains a major challenge for emerging and developing economies. Its assessment suggests that maintaining previous gains will require continued investment and stronger institutional capacity even as countries confront a more fragmented and volatile global economy.
