The United Kingdom has announced that it will host the African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment pledging session in December, bringing together global donors to agree on funding commitments for the 2026–2028 cycle. The announcement was made by Baroness Jenny Chapman, the UK’s Minister of State for Development and Africa, during a meeting with African Development Bank Group President Dr. Sidi Ould Tah on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Baroness Chapman emphasized that the UK intends to make a strong financial pledge and urged development partners to contribute ambitiously to the Fund’s replenishment. She noted that the session presents an important opportunity to demonstrate collective commitment to Africa’s growth, its institutions, and to advancing innovative and modern approaches to development finance amid a challenging global context.
The African Development Fund (ADF) is the concessional arm of the African Development Bank, providing grants, low-interest loans, and guarantees to 37 low-income African countries. Established in 1972, it has delivered more than $45 billion in concessional financing to support economic opportunity, resilience, and infrastructure development across the continent. The UK remains one of the Fund’s major contributors, continuing to provide financial and strategic support despite tighter aid budgets.
Dr. Sidi Ould Tah welcomed the UK’s decision to host the replenishment session, calling it a rallying point for a strong ADF-17 commitment that supports Africa’s development and global prosperity. In preparation for the meeting in London, development partners are advancing new financial mechanisms, including the Market Borrowing Option, which will enable the Fund to access capital markets for the first time, thereby expanding its resource base.
Several African nations have also pledged to the Fund, demonstrating the continent’s determination to invest in its own development future. Baroness Chapman additionally endorsed a proposal for the UK to host a Private Sector Day, which will bring together private companies and Development Finance Institutions to explore ways of enhancing private investment in Africa, aligning with the Fund’s goals of strengthening private sector engagement.
As the world faces economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, concessional resources such as those from the ADF remain vital to protecting development progress and reducing fragility. Over the past decade, the Fund has connected more than 18 million people to electricity, improved agricultural productivity for 11 million farmers, and expanded access to clean water, sanitation, and transportation for tens of millions more. In recognition of its impact, the Centre for Global Development ranked the African Development Fund second among 49 bilateral and multilateral development agencies in 2021 for the quality of its assistance.
