Arab Coordination Group holds 21st meeting in Vienna to advance global partnerships

The Arab Coordination Group held its 21st meeting of heads of institutions in Vienna, bringing together leaders of major development finance organizations to review progress, reinforce cooperation, and reaffirm their shared commitment to advancing sustainable development across developing countries. The session took place at the headquarters of the OPEC Fund for International Development during its 50th anniversary year.

The meeting gathered senior leaders from the Arab Coordination Group and its member institutions to consolidate coordination efforts and assess ongoing joint development actions. Discussions focused on strengthening institutional partnerships and improving the effectiveness of collective financing operations in response to evolving global development needs.

The Arab Coordination Group (ACG) brought together representatives from key development finance institutions including the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development, the Arab Monetary Fund, the Islamic Development Bank, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Qatar Fund for Development and the Saudi Fund for Development.

The session highlighted the role of the OPEC Fund for International Development as host during its 50th anniversary year, marking five decades of international cooperation and development financing. Participants emphasized the importance of continued alignment among member institutions to support economic growth, infrastructure, and social development across multiple regions.

Leaders reviewed performance results for 2025, when ACG institutions collectively extended 25.7 billion US dollars to finance nearly 735 operations in more than 97 countries. Over the past five decades, the group reported more than 331.5 billion US dollars in development financing across over 13,000 projects in more than 160 countries.

The meeting also included roundtable discussions with international and regional partners. These exchanges involved the Government of Barbados, the Climate Vulnerable Forum and V20 Finance Ministers (CVF-V20), the African Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on strengthening cooperation and global development dialogue.

In their concluding remarks, the heads of institutions reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation and long-term partnership. They stressed that the group’s results over five decades reflect sustained institutional coordination and a shared focus on development outcomes.