Write / Hatem Mohamed

CBE and Afreximbank Brief Media on AAM2026 Preparations
H.E. Hassan Abdalla, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), and George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of afreximbank.com, held a joint press briefing at the CBE headquarters on 13 May 2026 to discuss preparations for the 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM2026).
The meetings will be held under the patronage of Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Alamein from 21 to 24 June 2026.
Over 100 Media Attend Briefing on Egypt’s Host Role
More than 100 local and international journalists participated in the briefing, both in person and virtually. The event provided updates on preparations, expected participation, and Egypt’s role as host of one of Africa’s most influential annual gatherings dedicated to advancing the continent’s economic transformation.
CBE Governor Affirms Egypt’s Commitment to Host
In his remarks, Hassan Abdalla reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to ensuring the success of AAM2026 and highlighted the country’s longstanding partnership with Afreximbank in supporting Africa’s economic development, trade, and investment.
“Egypt is honoured to host the 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings in Alamein, reflecting our continued commitment to supporting Africa’s economic integration, trade expansion, and sustainable development,” he said.
Abdalla noted that the meetings provide a high-level platform for dialogue and the exchange of ideas on the future of African economic and financial cooperation. He added that the discussions would focus on key continental priorities, including trade finance, regional integration, and reforming the global financial architecture to better address the development needs of emerging economies.
Afreximbank President Praises Egypt’s Support
George Elombi expressed appreciation for Egypt’s support and the efforts of national institutions involved in organizing the event.
“Egypt and Afreximbank share a common vision to accelerate Africa’s economic development, industrialisation, and prosperity,” Elombi said. “AAM2026 will provide an important opportunity to strengthen partnerships, unlock investment opportunities, and advance discussions on intra-African trade, financial sovereignty, and economic resilience.”
Elombi: Industrialisation and Intra-African Trade to Drive Growth
Elombi emphasized that Africa’s future growth will depend on industrialisation and stronger trade links across the continent.
“Through our Annual Meetings, Afreximbank seeks to identify priority projects and actionable programmes that can accelerate the transformation of Africa’s trade infrastructure,” he said. “Achieving sustainable growth will require significant improvements in processing capacity, logistics networks, and supportive government policies.”
Strategic Partnership Across Key Sectors Highlighted
The briefing highlighted the strong strategic partnership between Egypt and Afreximbank, as well as the bank’s support for critical sectors, including financial services, trade, industrial infrastructure, manufacturing, oil and gas, telecommunications, energy, and construction.
Hosting AAM2026 to Boost Egypt’s Financial Hub Status
Officials also outlined the economic opportunities associated with hosting AAM2026, including strengthening Egypt’s position as a regional financial and business hub, supporting the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry, creating new opportunities for businesses and investors, and boosting tourism in Alamein.
Afreximbank Commits $9.5 Billion to Egypt
Elombi revealed that Afreximbank has provided approximately US$9.5 billion in financing to Egypt over the past three years.
He also highlighted the groundbreaking of the Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital in December 2025. The US$250 million project is expected to reinforce Egypt’s role as a regional hub for trade facilitation, payments, logistics, and SME development.
In addition, Elombi outlined plans for a proposed pan-African Gold Bank aimed at formalising Africa’s gold value chains, strengthening central bank reserves, and reducing reliance on offshore refining and external trading centres.
AAM2026 to Gather Global Leaders and Investors
Over the years, Afreximbank’s Annual Meetings have evolved into one of the continent’s leading platforms for shaping discussions on Africa’s economic future and advancing intra-African trade.
The 33rd Annual Meetings are expected to bring together heads of state, government ministers, central bank governors, business leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, private investors, and development partners to discuss the major issues influencing Africa’s economic future and trade agenda.
Policy Forums and Deal Signings on Agenda
The AAM2026 programme will feature policy discussions, plenary sessions, investment forums, deal-signing ceremonies, major announcements, networking events, bilateral meetings, and dedicated sessions on intra-African trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The agenda will also include presentations and discussions focused on trade finance, industrialisation, energy, infrastructure development, and digital transformation across Africa.
This version is edited for publication style, consistency, and readability while preserving all key facts and quotations.