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The United Kingdom has announced that it will host the 17th Replenishment pledging session of the African Development Fund (ADF)in December. The session will bring together development partners to agree on contributions for the ADF’s 2026-2028 cycle. (Photo: A worker of quality service international working with corn to make flour).
The UK’s Minister of State for Development and Africa, Baroness Jenny Chapman, made the announcement during her recent meeting with African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah, in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Baroness Chapman said the UK intends to make a strong pledge and encouraged all development partners to consider ambitious contributions to the 17th replenishment of the Fund.
“The replenishment is an opportunity to signal our collective commitment to Africa’s growth and development, its institutions, and to innovative, modern approaches to development finance in a challenging global environment,” said Baroness Chapman.
The ADF is the African Development Bank’s concessional financing window for 37 of Africa’s low-income countries. It serves as a critical source of multilateral development finance, offering grants, low-interest loans, and guarantees tailored to countries with limited fiscal space.
Since its establishment in 1972, the Fund has provided more than $45 billion in concessional financing to support African countries in expanding opportunity and resilience.
Baroness Chapman noted that the UK remains a key contributor to the Fund, providing substantial financial commitments and strategic engagement that help sustain development impact, even amid a tighter aid budget.
Dr. Ould Tah (Photo) said: “The African Development Bank Group welcomes United Kingdom’s announcement to host the African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment pledging session.” He added: “It is a rallying call for a strong ADF-17 replenishment, which is both an investment in Africa’s development as well as in shared global prosperity.”
Ahead of the London meeting, development partners are working to advance the Fund’s financial innovations, notably the Market Borrowing Option, which for the first time will allow the Fund to leverage its equity to access capital markets and expand its resource base.
Several African countries have also pledged to the Fund, underscoring Africa’s commitment to investing in its own development and future.
Baroness Chapman also welcomed Dr. Ould Tah’s proposal for the UK to host a Private Sector Day for private companies and development finance institutions to explore approaches to foster investment opportunities across Africa. This is an initiative aligned with the African Development Fund’s objective of expanding private sector engagement in ADF countries.
Against a backdrop of economic strain and geopolitical uncertainty, concessional resources remain essential to safeguarding development gains and preventing reversals in fragile environments.
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Over the past decade, the African Development Fund has connected more than 18 million people to electricity and enhanced agricultural productivity for 11 million farmers. It has improved access to water and sanitation for 48 million people and to transport for more than 87 million.
In 2021, the Centre for Global Developlment recognised the quality of the Fund’s development assistance, ranking it second among 49 bilateral and multilateral development agencies.