He was in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, to participate in the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, held from October 12 to 18, 2026. This event brings together economic officials, policymakers, and development partners to address challenges facing the global economy, development financing, and the strengthening of international cooperation. Since the start of the proceedings, Ambassador Naby Laye Sylla has been actively engaged in a series of strategic meetings with various prominent figures. The objective is to discuss the global economy—with a particular focus on Africa—and to explore concrete solutions to development challenges.
Ambassador Naby Laye Sylla held various meetings and discussions on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, Thailand. These meetings provided an opportunity to engage with several prominent figures from the worlds of finance, economics, and development, including Ajaypal Singh Banga, President of the World Bank Group; Sidi Ould Tah, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB); and Thierno-Habib Hann, Director General of Shelter-Afrique. Also among those he met with were…
Mariam Mahamat Nour, Vice-President of the ECCAS Commission; the Governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea; Tesi Rusagara, Rwandan Minister of State in charge of Public Investment and Resource Mobilization; Álvaro Santos Pereira, Governor of the Bank of Portugal; Carla Alexandra Oreste do Rosário Fernandes Louveira, Minister of Finance of Mozambique; Eli Remolona, Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines; Seedy K. M. Keita, Gambian Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs; Ana Zoric, representative of the Directorate for Economic Affairs and Financial Systems at the Croatian Ministry of Finance; and Soraphol Tulayasathien, Secretary-General of the Government Pension Fund (GPF) of Thailand.
These meetings and discussions continued with the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP); Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan; Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas; the IMF’s Executive Director for the Africa II Group, Régis O. N’Sonde; Guinea’s Minister of Economy, Finance, and Budget, Mariama Ciré Sylla; the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania, Emmanuel Mpawe Tutuba; Burundi’s Minister of Finance, Dr. Alain Ndikumana; the Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Burundi, Édouard Normand Bigendako; the Governor of the BEAC, Yvon Sana Bangui; and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama. These encounters took place at the heart of international finance, centering on major global economic issues and development prospects for the African continent.
The Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group bring together government leaders, businesses, civil society, and international organizations to discuss the global economy and concrete solutions to development challenges.
These Annual Meetings cover a wide range of issues, including global economic growth and stability; employment and private investment; artificial intelligence, technology, and productivity; poverty reduction and inclusive growth; resilience in the face of economic, climate, and other shocks; debt and public finance sustainability; as well as climate and sustainable development. This event, which brings together the world’s top economic policymakers each year, is taking place this time against a backdrop of compounding crises—ranging from an energy shock triggered by the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz and record-high global debt to the concentration of financial flows into artificial intelligence.
Ambassador Naby Laye Sylla—a facilitator, seasoned lobbyist, and regular participant in major summits—is taking part in this significant event not merely to showcase the continent’s brilliance, but, more importantly, to serve as a bridge between international investors and Africa. The continent possesses vast economic potential and currently offers a favorable environment for business. As a strategist in international relations and diplomacy, he consistently champions the vision of a strong, prosperous, and ambitious Africa.
Ericien Pascal
