Online Reporter
Business Reporter
Egypt has affirmed its readiness to host the 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM2026) in the new Mediterranean city of Alamein this June, as officials from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and the Pan-African lender outlined a $9, 5 billion financing package and ambitious plans for a continent-wide gold bank.
Speaking at a joint press briefing at the CBE’s headquarters in Cairo on Wednesday, CBE Governor Hassan Abdalla and Afreximbank President George Elombi said the four-day gathering, to be held from 21 to 24 June under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, would serve as a pivotal platform for reshaping Africa’s financial architecture.
“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,” Mr Abdalla told an audience of more than 100 local and international journalists attending in person and virtually.
He added that the meetings would go “beyond conventional discussions” to address trade finance, regional integration and “the pressing need to reform the global financial architecture to better reflect the development needs of emerging economies.”
Dr Elombi confirmed that Afreximbank had provided approximately $9, 5 billion in financing to Egypt over the past three years. He also revealed progress on the proposed Pan-African Gold Bank, an initiative designed to formalise the continent’s gold value chains, bolster central bank reserves and reduce reliance on offshore refining and external trading hubs.
“AAM2026 will provide a valuable opportunity to strengthen partnerships, unlock investment opportunities, and advance discussions on intra-African trade, Africa’s financial sovereignty, and its economic resilience in an increasingly complex global environment,” Dr Elombi said.
The bank’s president also noted that Africa’s growth would be driven by industrialisation and intra-African trade, requiring “significant improvements in processing, logistics, and importantly, policy support from governments.”
The briefing highlighted the groundbreaking of the Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital in December 2025. The $250m development is expected to bolster Egypt’s role as a regional hub for trade facilitation, payments, logistics and small business development.
Officials said hosting AAM2026 would enhance Egypt’s standing as a financial and business hub, boost the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, create new opportunities for the private sector, and drive tourism in Alamein.
The annual meetings are expected to draw heads of state, central bank governors, business leaders and development partners. The programme includes policy discussions, investment forums, deal-signing ceremonies and sessions on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), trade finance, energy, infrastructure and digital transformation.
Afreximbank, headquartered in Cairo, reported total assets and contingencies of more than $48, 5 billion as of December 2025.
