The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to hold their annual meetings in Abu Dhabi in October 2029.
The signing ceremony took place in Bangkok at the conclusion of the 2026 annual meetings, attended by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohammad Al-Hussaini and Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama.
Banga welcomed Abu Dhabi’s selection, praising the UAE’s ability to attract capital, in line with the World Bank’s efforts to mobilize private capital alongside public financing to transform emerging markets.
Georgieva described Abu Dhabi as an ideal venue to discuss responses to rapid global changes. Al-Hussaini welcomed the UAE’s selection, thanking the two institutions’ leadership for their confidence. Balama said the decision reflected confidence in the UAE’s economic model and its proven ability to bring together global financial leaders.
The UAE will host the meetings for the second time, 26 years after Dubai hosted them in 2003.
Bangkok hosted the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group annual meetings from October 12 to 18, with around 20,000 delegates from Kuwait and around the world discussing global economic and financial challenges and ways to strengthen monetary and investment cooperation.
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