Saudi Arabia Concludes Participation in African Development Bank Group Annual Meetings
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its delegation led by Dr. Ryadh bin Mohammed Alkhareif, the Kingdom’s Governor to the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), concluded its participation in the Bank Group's Annual Meetings, held 26-31May 2025 in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. The AfDB Annual Meetings brought together finance and economy ministers, central bank governors from member countries, and representatives from regional and international development institutions.
At the Annual Meetings, H.E. Dr. Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania was elected as the new President of the AfDB. Discussions focused on the current challenges facing the continent, and explored effective ways to harness Africa’s human, natural, financial, and trade resources to support development efforts. Delegates also reviewed the operational and financial performance of the African Development Bank and the African Development Fund over the past year, and held numerous bilateral meetings.
Dr. Alkhareif participated in the knowledge session entitled “Effective Institutions in Africa to Leverage Capital for Development,” where he highlighted the Kingdom’s experience in institutional reforms under Saudi Vision 2030. His presentation emphasized investment in human capital, adoption of technology, and enhancement of governance as key pillars for achieving comprehensive and sustainable development. He also delivered the closing statement during the final plenary session of the meetings.
Several Saudi institutions took part in the meetings, including the Ministry of Finance and the Saudi Fund for Development, reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting development efforts across the African continent and strengthening international partnerships.
The Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group bring together the Bank Group’s Governors—typically finance or economy ministers from member states—as well as representatives from the private sector, civil society organizations, development partners, academia, the media, and other stakeholders. This major event is held over several days, and serves as a platform to address pressing economic and development issues facing Africa.
