The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the 60th Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB), held in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, from May 26 to 30, 2025. The Organization was represented by Dr. Haddy Jatou Sey, Head of the Education Sector, and Mr. Omer Hamid, Head of the Strategic Partnerships Division.

On the sidelines of the meetings, the ICESCO delegation held bilateral talks with senior officials from the African Development Bank, including Dr. Hendrina Doroba, Manager of the Education and Skills Development Division, and Mr. Joel Molel, Principal Resources Mobilization and Partnerships, RDNG. Discussions focused on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two parties, in line with ICESCO’s 2026–2030 Strategy and the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033).

These meetings resulted in a preliminary agreement to sign a Letter of Intent in the near future, which would enable ICESCO to act as an executive partner in Member States common to both institutions—particularly those facing challenges due to conflict or institutional fragility. The agreement also includes the immediate launch of several priority projects in the fields of education, water and sanitation, regional capacity building, and skills development.

The two sides also explored the possibility of developing medium- and long-term strategic joint projects to be implemented on the ground, with ICESCO contributing to the financing of selected project components, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and generating tangible impact in Member States.

At the conclusion of the meetings, both parties agreed to establish a procedural pathway for drafting a new cooperation framework, to be presented shortly to the leadership of both institutions for approval and adoption. This step is expected to mark a new phase in the cooperative relationship between ICESCO and the AfDB, in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals across Africa and in Member States.