UAE signs agreement to host IMF and World Bank meetings in Abu Dhabi in 2029 — The National
The UAE has officially signed an agreement to host the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Abu Dhabi in October 2029. The document was signed in Bangkok after the conclusion of the two institutions’ annual meetings in 2026, The National reports.
Participants in the signing
On behalf of the UAE, the agreement was signed by Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohammed bin Hadi Al Hussaini and UAE Central Bank Governor Khaled Balama. World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva also took part in the ceremony.
Al Hussaini said that the signing reflects confidence in the UAE’s readiness, the efficiency of its infrastructure and financial system, as well as the country’s ability to host major international events. According to him, the meetings will provide financial leaders and officials with a platform to discuss financial and monetary stability, as well as development financing.
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Return of the meetings to the Emirates
The 2029 meetings will be the first in the UAE since 2003, when Dubai hosted the event. The World Bank and IMF annual meetings are usually held in Washington, while once every three years they are hosted by one of the member countries. London became the first city outside the United States to host the meetings in 1947.
The events bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, officials, economists, representatives of business, civil society organizations, media and academia from more than 190 countries. The number of in-person and virtual participants at each meeting exceeds 10,000. During the forum, the World Bank and the IMF also present forecasts for economic growth and financial stability.
Georgieva called the UAE an important hub for ideas, finance, innovation and international cooperation. Banga said that Abu Dhabi is a suitable venue for a meeting dedicated to development, job creation, economic growth and financing at scale.
