UAE's Abu Dhabi to host 2029 IMF and World Bank meetings

Where Diplomacy Meets News

UAE’s Abu Dhabi to host 2029 IMF and World Bank annual meetings

April 11, 2026

DUBAI,— The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank announced Friday that Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, will host their 2029 annual meetings, following a vote by the board of governors of both institutions, according to a joint statement.

The UAE last hosted the gatherings in 2003, when Dubai, the Gulf region’s commercial and tourism center, served as the venue.

The meetings bring together central bankers, finance and development ministers, and private sector leaders to address pressing global economic concerns, including job creation, financial stability and poverty reduction.

The meetings are typically held for two consecutive years at IMF and World Bank headquarters in Washington, and every third year in a member country.

UAE Finance Minister Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said hosting the meetings aligns with the country’s strategic vision of strengthening international partnerships.

“We are committed to providing an ideal environment that leads to tangible outcomes supporting sustainable development,” Al Maktoum, who also serves as first deputy ruler of Dubai and deputy prime minister, said in a statement.

The 2026 annual meetings are scheduled for October in Bangkok, Thailand.

(With files from Reuters)