Arab Coordination Group pledges US$50 billion for African development

November 10, 2023: Stepping up their support for African partner countries ahead of the crucial COP28 climate change conference, the Arab Coordination Group (ACG) announced today that it aims to allocate up to US$50 billion to help build resilient infrastructure and inclusive societies in the African continent. The announcement was made by the Islamic Development Bank President, Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser at the Arab-Africa & Saudi-Africa Summits' Economic Conference held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Many countries in Africa are particularly vulnerable to climate change, making strengthening climate resilience and adaptation an urgent priority. In a joint communiqué the group of ten development institutions states: “Recognizing that the link between sustainable development and climate financing is cross-cutting and complex, the ACG reaffirms its commitment to scaling up financial assistance for climate change in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and to helping bridge investment gaps in energy access, including low-carbon energy sources, climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience, as well as food security.”

The ACG financing will support initiatives in areas such as energy security and energy transition; regional integration and connectivity; trade finance and facilitation; gender and youth initiatives; enhanced support for fragile states; enhanced development effectiveness; private sector financing; food security and poverty and unemployment. “We acknowledge the pressing need to address these challenges through timely and coordinated actions,” the ACG states in its declaration.

Our Director-General Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said:

“This is a major step forward in support of our African partner countries and the OPEC Fund is proud to be part of this initiative. In order to achieve the SDGs and facilitate the energy transition, we must adopt a just approach and share responsibilities. The challenges we are facing impact everyone, and especially our most vulnerable communities.”

The group has been a long-standing supporter of African partner countries and has cumulatively invested over US$220 billion in the region to date. “We reaffirm our commitment to supporting the sustainable development of countries in Africa,” the statement reads.

The Arab Coordination Group (ACG) is a strategic alliance that provides a coordinated response to development finance. Current members are 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 OPEC Fund for International Development, the Qatar Fund for Development and the Saudi Fund for Development.

About the OPEC Fund 

The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$24 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of US$190 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and AA, Outlook Positive by S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.