Brazzaville, Republic of Congo – The African Development Bank Group and the Republic of Congo have signed a memorandum of understanding to host the Bank’s 2026 Annual Meetings in Brazzaville, marking a major milestone in preparations for the flagship event. The meetings are scheduled to take place from May 25 to 29, 2026, and will bring together thousands of stakeholders from across the continent and beyond.
The signing ceremony was attended by Congo’s Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso, alongside senior government officials. Ludovic Ngatsé, Minister of Economy, Planning, Statistics, and Regional Integration, signed on behalf of the Congolese government, while Vincent O. Nmehielle, Secretary General of the Bank Group, signed for the institution.
The 2026 gatherings will mark the 61st Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank and the 51st of the African Development Fund. They will also be the first to take place under the chairmanship of Sidi Ould Tah, elected head of the Bank Group earlier this year.
“The mission to prepare for the 61st Annual Meetings was both useful and fruitful,” said Minister Ngatsé. “It gave us the opportunity to align our organizational frameworks and clearly define the commitments and tasks required to ensure success.”
For the Bank, the agreement signals a strong partnership with the host country. “By signing this memorandum of understanding, the Government of the Republic of Congo commits to providing the goods and services necessary for the smooth running of the Annual Meetings,” Nmehielle explained. “The Bank will, in turn, work to maintain the highest quality standards through ongoing dialogue with the host nation.”
The meetings are expected to draw more than 3,000 participants, including ministers, governors, directors, development partners, philanthropists, researchers, civil society, private sector leaders, media, and Bank staff. Discussions will focus on reviewing the past year’s progress and adopting new resolutions to accelerate Africa’s development agenda.
This will be the second time the Republic of Congo hosts the Annual Meetings, the first being in 1984. Cooperation between the Bank Group and the country spans over five decades, with $1.27 billion approved for projects and programmes since 1972. As of June 2025, the Bank’s active portfolio in Congo stood at $223.3 million, covering transport, agriculture, finance, energy, and water and sanitation.
With logistics, security, hospitality, ICT, and transport all on the agenda, both the Bank and Congolese authorities have pledged to ensure that the 2026 meetings in Brazzaville deliver an optimal experience for participants and set a new benchmark for collaboration.
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