In October 2018, the Kingdom of Morocco was officially designated as the host country for the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. This choice is highly symbolic as it marks the return of these Annual Meetings to Africa after they were held for the first time in Nairobi (Kenya) in 1973. It also affirms Morocco’s position on the African continent and the MENA region.
The Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are the major annual meeting of the international finance community, bringing together leading figures, Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from 189 member countries of these institutions, as well as representatives of the private sector, NGOs and academia.
The designation of Morocco serves to show the proven capacity of the Kingdom as a privileged destination for organizing major international conferences and the choice of Marrakesh reinforces its reputation as an international city open to the world. The Meetings will be held at Bab Ighli, formerly the main entrance to the old city (the medina), which takes its name from the guards responsible for protecting its access. Bab Ighli, a vast expanse of more than 300 hectares located just outside of the city walls towards the Ourika valley, was the location where the COP22 for Climate was held in November 2016, hosting some 30,000 participants, as well as the First African Summit on Climate Action. In 2014, the 5th Global Entrepreneurship Summit was held at the same location, bringing together Heads of State, high-level government representatives and more than 3,000 entrepreneurs.
Given the high level of stakeholder participation, the 2023 Annual Meetings offer the opportunity for the Kingdom to strengthen its attractiveness and promote its image: a stable and tolerant, open and dynamic country, rich in its intangible heritage, its secular history, its culture, its gastronomy, and also marked by the progress made over the last 20 years at the democratic, social and economic levels.
Morocco is a source of inspiration for the world in the field of solar energy,» Jim Yong Kim noted, also referring to the major projects and socio-economic programs underway in the Kingdom
Morocco is an ideal location for the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, which is one of the most important and open gatherings of economic decision-makers from around the world ». « We are grateful to Morocco for having accepted to organize these meetings, » said Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF Managing Director, describing the Kingdom as “an increasingly essential economic player and a gateway to Africa and the Middle East. »
With 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership: five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing
countries.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 189 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.
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