The 2029 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), in October 2029.

This is contained in a statement issued by the IMF press centre on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, this decision was made by a vote of the boards of governors of the two institutions.

The statement said the last time the annual meetings were held in the UAE was in 2003, in Dubai.

It said the annual meetings bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, and private sector leaders.

It said that it would also accommodate a wide range of stakeholders across civil society, media, and academia to discuss the most pressing issues facing the global economy.

The statement said the issues include global economic and financial stability, job creation, and poverty eradication.

It said the annual meetings are usually held for two consecutive years at the World Bank Group/IMF headquarters in Washington, D.C., and every third year in one of the institutions’ member countries.

It said the 2026 Annual Meetings will take place in Bangkok, Thailand in October, at which time there will be an official signing ceremony for the UAE to host the 2029 Meetings.

“The World Bank Group and IMF look forward to Abu Dhabi hosting the 2029 Annual Meetings in the spirit of international cooperation and dialogue that underpins the work of both institutions.

“We look forward to welcoming the UAE and the rest of our membership next week for our Spring Meetings in Washington, DC.

“At the meetings, we will discuss the global economy, job creation, and support for countries affected by the impacts of the war in the Middle East,” it said.

(NAN)