BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 16. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group today officially commenced its 2026 Annual Meetings in Baku.
This is reflected in the official statement of the bank.
Held under the theme “Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity,” the flagship gathering of IsDB Group, the AAA-rated multilateral development institution of the Global South, brings together policymakers, development practitioners, and financial leaders from across the IsDB Group’s 57 Member Countries and beyond.
This year’s theme reflects the growing importance of regional integration as a driver of sustainable development and shared prosperity. It is closely aligned with the IsDB Group’s Ten-Year Strategic Framework (2026–2035), which identifies regional integration as a fundamental pillar for promoting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development throughout its Member Countries.
The 2026 Annual Meetings mark the second occasion in the past fifteen years that Azerbaijan has hosted the IsDB Group’s premier international event, following its previous hosting in 2010.
The meetings convene ministers responsible for finance, economy, planning, and international development, alongside senior representatives of leading international financial institutions, global development organizations, and strategic partners. This preeminent event provides a high-level platform for dialogue, collaboration, and the exchange of knowledge aimed at addressing common development priorities and advancing sustainable socio-economic progress.
Throughout the meetings, participants will engage in substantive discussions on emerging development challenges and opportunities, with a focus on identifying innovative and practical solutions that contribute to long-term global growth and resilience.
The program features the statutory meetings of the Boards of Governors, a Fireside Chat with the Chairman of the IsDB Group, the Governors’ Dialogue, the IsDB Group Private Sector Forum, the MDB Business Opportunities Forum, the Arab Coordination Group (ACG) Private Sector Session, and a series of high-level roundtables, networking opportunities, exhibitions, and knowledge-sharing events. Together, these events will explore key development priorities, including Islamic finance, youth employability, resilience and climate adaptation, halal ecosystem development, regional energy interconnections, trade and connectivity, AI and digital economies, innovation and startups, labelled sukuk, regional health security, social protection systems, and other pressing development challenges.
