At least 28 Presidents, senior Gov’t officials expected in Nairobi for AfDB Summit

By Moses Muli

Published: May 27,2024 4:19 PM

At least 28 heads of state and governments are expected in Nairobi this week for the annual African Development Bank (AfDB) meeting running from May 27 to May 31, 2024, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

The event will bring together several leaders from across the African region with the Treasury Ministry of Kenya estimating at least 28 heads of state and governments to attend the summit.

In a statement, the African Development Bank stated that the meetings will fast-track structural transformation in Africa as a panacea for faster socio-economic transformation.

AfDB speakers

“The knowledge events will also address the importance of a reconfigured global financial architecture as an engine for structural transformation, and the Bank Group’s contribution towards Africa’s socio-economic transformation in its 60 years of existence,” the statement read.

The theme of the 2024 Annual Meetings is Africa’s Transformation, the African Development Bank Group, and the Reform of the Global Financial Architecture.

President William Ruto is expected to host the heads of state to a state dinner on Wednesday at the State House after delivering his remarks at KICC.

Also likely to be high on the agenda is the lack of climate finance for African priorities and the high cost of capital to invest in sustainable infrastructure for green growth and a just energy transition.

The meetings will comprise member States’ invitation-only sessions, closed bilateral meetings, as well as events open to all attendees, including the press.

Further, also likely to be high on the agenda is the lack of climate finance for African priorities and the high cost of capital to invest in sustainable infrastructure for green growth and a just energy transition.

The meetings are the AfDB’s most important event annually, attracting around 3,000 participants and they allow the organization to take stock of progress with its shareholders.

The summit includes statutory meetings of its governors who are finance ministers or central bank governors representing the 81 member countries, and knowledge events.

Other attendees will include representatives of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, leading academics and non-governmental organizations, civil society, and the private sector.