
ACG champions bold financial reform at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville
Marking 50 years of partnership and impact in 2025, the ACG also adopted a new Joint Action Plan (2025–2030) to align its efforts with key global milestones, including COP30 and the 2026 SDG Summit.
FfD4 spotlighted a widening annual financing gap of over USD 4 trillion, escalating climate shocks, and worsening debt distress. In this context, the ACG called for urgent structural reform and long-term investment strategies designed to address the needs of fragile, conflict-affected, and climate-vulnerable nations.
Bridging Regions Through South–South Cooperation
The ACG also co-hosted a strategic roundtable, 'Bridging Regions: Arab Coordination Group and Latin America and the Caribbean,' in collaboration with the OPEC Fund for International Development and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. The event brought together finance ministers, ACG leaders, CAF officials, and representatives from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the Caribbean Development Bank.
Discussions underscored the growing power of South–South cooperation to drive shared development through knowledge exchange, policy alignment and joint investment. Key areas of focus included climate adaptation, energy transition, food security, infrastructure, and economic diversification.
A Record Year of Impact
The ACG's vision for the future builds on significant momentum. In 2024, the Group disbursed US$19.6 billion across nearly 650 operations in over 90 countries, making it the world's second-largest development finance group.
These investments targeted core priorities: sustainable infrastructure, global trade, and solutions to systemic challenges such as climate change and food insecurity.
Earlier this month, at its 20th Annual Meeting in Vienna, ACG leaders reaffirmed their commitment to scaling up support for sustainable development and for vulnerable communities worldwide.
Shaping a More Inclusive Global Financial System
The ACG's joint communiqué outlines bold commitments: expanding climate-resilient investment, supporting fragile states, restoring degraded lands, unlocking private capital, promoting innovative financing and deepening South–South cooperation.
As the ACG prepares to mark its 50th Anniversary in October 2025, it looks ahead with renewed resolve to close financing gaps, advance inclusive growth and deliver tangible solutions to global challenges.
About the Arab Coordination Group (ACG)
The Arab Coordination Group (ACG) is a strategic alliance that provides a coordinated response to development finance. Since its establishment in 1975, ACG has been instrumental in developing economies and communities for a better future, providing more than 13,000 development loans to over 160 countries around the globe. Comprising ten development funds, ACG is the second-largest group of development finance institutions in the world and works across the globe to support developing nations and create a lasting, positive impact.
The Group comprises the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development, the Arab Monetary Fund, the Islamic Development Bank, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Qatar Fund for Development and the Saudi Fund for Development.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Al Etihad
19 hours ago
- Al Etihad
German consumer group sues budget airlines over hand luggage fees
2 Aug 2025 11:09 BERLIN (dpa)A German consumer group has launched legal action against several budget airlines over what it describes as unlawful charges for hand luggage."Ryanair, EasyJet and others lure customers with low fares that don't include standard hand luggage. That's deceptive and violates existing law," Ramona Pop, chairwoman of the vzbv consumer umbrella body, told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper in remarks published on said airlines are obliged to carry reasonable hand luggage at no additional cost, but in many cases, only a small personal item is included in the base fare, with larger bags requiring a paid upgrade.'The size limits used by many carriers contradict EU law,' she a first step, vzbv issued formal warnings to several carriers. Pop said lawsuits have now been filed against Ryanair, EasyJet, WizzAir, and Vueling Airlines.'In our view, they are charging inadmissible fees and thus misleading consumers about flight prices,' Pop called on the European Union to set clear rules and standards for free hand luggage. The vzbv's legal action is part of a broader Europe-wide campaign, she to the consumer group, its legal argument draws on a 2014 ruling by the European Court of Justice. The ruling determined that hand luggage is a fundamental part of air travel, not an optional extra provided by the airline. Consumer advocates argue that airlines should not be allowed to charge extra for it, provided the bag meets reasonable size and weight limits and complies with safety regulations.


Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
Global shares in red after US jobs data, Trump's tariff salvo
Global shares remained in the red on Friday after weaker than expected U.S. jobs data prompted markets to add to rate cut bets from the Federal Reserve, following earlier losses sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs salvo. Nasdaq futures and S&P 500 futures were down about 1% after the data, broadly in line with where they were before the release. The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 1.4%, taking its weekly fall to about 2% and putting it on track for its biggest weekly drop since Trump announced his first major wave of tariffs on April 2. The U.S. economy added 73,000 nonfarm payrolls last month, below expectations for 110,000 in a Reuters survey of economists. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%. "There's no way to pretty-up this report," said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. "Last year the Fed messed up by not cutting in July so they did a catch-up cut at their next meeting. They'll likely have to do the same thing this year." Money market traders added to bets for a rate cut from the Fed at its September meeting. Markets imply around a 90% chance of a rate cut next month, compared with about 45% before the jobs data, according to LSEG data. The softer labour market figures arrived a day after Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs ranging from 10% to 41% on U.S. imports from several major trading partners. Rates were set at 25% for India's U.S.-bound exports, 20% for Taiwan's, 19% for Thailand's and 15% for South Korea's. He also increased duties on Canadian goods to 35% from 25% for all products not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, but gave Mexico a 90-day reprieve from higher tariffs to negotiate a broader trade deal. "The August 1 announcement on reciprocal tariffs is somewhat worse than expected," said Wei Yao, research head and chief economist in Asia at Société Générale. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.5%, bringing the total loss this week to roughly 2.7%. Japan's Nikkei closed 0.7% lower, Chinese blue chips ended 0.5% down and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost more than 1%. The U.S. dollar had earlier found support from fading prospects of imminent U.S. rate cuts, but reversed course after the data. The dollar index, which measures the currency against six others, was last down 1% on the day. The yen had weakened past 150 per dollar for the first time since April but strengthened to 148.71 per dollar after the data. The Bank of Japan held interest rates steady on Thursday and revised up its near-term inflation expectations, but Governor Kazuo Ueda sounded a little dovish in the press conference. Two-year Treasury yields, which are sensitive to changes in interest rate expectations, dropped 17.5 basis points to 3.7761%. Benchmark 10-year yields slipped 9 basis points to 4.273%. In commodity markets, oil prices continued to fall after a 1% plunge on Thursday. Brent dipped 0.3% to $71.55 per barrel, while U.S. crude fell 0.1% to $69.22 per barrel. Spot gold rose 1.3% to $3,332 an ounce.


Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
Dusit International signs strategic partnership for hotel development in France
PARIS, FRANCE - Media OutReach Newswire - 1 August 2025 - Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with SYDEL, a French real estate investment company, to establish Dusit France – a joint venture created to bring Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to France for the first time. Leveraging SYDEL's local knowledge and operational expertise, the joint venture will focus on identifying opportunities for Dusit Hotels and Resorts, whose portfolio of nine brands spans the lodging spectrum – from affordable lifestyle hotels to full-service luxury retreats. Brands being considered for the French market include Dusit Thani (Bespoke Luxury), Devarana – Dusit Retreats (Wellness Luxury), Dusit Collection (Character Luxury), Dusit Hotels (Upper Upscale), dusitD2 (Lifestyle Upscale), Dusit Princess (Upper Midscale), ASAI Hotels (Lifestyle Midscale), and Dusit Suites (Lifestyle Long Stay). Together, Dusit and SYDEL will identify strategic locations, support asset owners with repositioning projects, and introduce innovative hotel concepts focused on delivering memorable guest experiences, championing well-being, and creating long-term sustainable value. The partnership was formalised at an exclusive signing ceremony held on 10 July 2025 in Paris. At the event, Mr Gilles Cretallaz, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International, shared the vision for Dusit France and outlined the group's growth ambitions in the region. "We are thrilled to partner with SYDEL to seek opportunities to expand Dusit's footprint and bring our distinctive brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to France – one of the world's most iconic travel destinations," said Mr Cretallaz. "This partnership marks an important milestone in our global expansion strategy, and we are confident that our unique blend of cultural authenticity, innovation, and gracious service will resonate strongly with travellers and developers alike." Dusit's portfolio currently spans 294 properties across 18 countries, including 55 operating under Dusit Hotels and Resorts and 239 luxury villas under Elite Havens. In Europe, the company operates the upper-upscale Dusit Suites Athens in Greece, located in the vibrant coastal district of Glyfada on the Athenian Riviera. Hashtag: #dusitinternational The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Dusit International