A high-level panel discussion titled “Leveraging Capital, Strengthening Agency: African Ownership and the Future of Development Finance” is set to take place on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, during the African Development Bank Group’s 2026 Annual Meetings in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. The event is being co-organized by the African Development Bank Group and the African Center for Economic Transformation, bringing together leading voices in finance, policy, and development.
The session will be held at Tente Cuvette Ouest in the Kintélé International Conference Center between 17:30 and 18:30. It will focus on Africa’s evolving development finance landscape, which is undergoing significant shifts due to tightening concessional resources, rising borrowing costs, geopolitical fragmentation, and increasing investment demands across the continent.
The discussion will highlight the implementation of the New African Financial Architecture for Development, which was adopted under the Abidjan Consensus in April 2026. Stakeholders will examine how African institutions, regional financial actors, private sector leaders, and development partners can improve coordination, strengthen financial systems, reduce investment risks, and mobilize capital at scale to support sustainable growth.
The panel will feature senior leaders from across the development and private sectors, including representatives from Shelter Afrique Development Bank, MTN MoMo Congo, Transat Management Company, and the ONE Campaign. The session will be moderated by the President and CEO of the African Center for Economic Transformation, ensuring a multi-stakeholder dialogue on Africa’s financial future.
As African economies continue to navigate structural changes in global finance, the event is expected to contribute to ongoing conversations about increasing African ownership of development strategies and strengthening institutional capacity to attract long-term investment. Interpretation services will be provided in both English and French to support broader participation.
The discussion forms part of the broader agenda of the African Development Bank Group’s 2026 Annual Meetings, which aim to advance solutions for inclusive and sustainable economic transformation across Africa.
