Date: 23 Oct, 2026
Location: Bangkok - Thailand
The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) strengthened its engagement with the international financial and development community through the participation of H.E. Dr. Obaid Saif Hamad Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Board of AAAID, as an observer at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 12 to 18 October. The participation formed part of AAAID’s ongoing efforts to deepen cooperation with international financial and development institutions and explore investment and financing opportunities that support food security and sustainable development.
On the sidelines of the meetings, Dr. Al Zaabi held a series of meetings with officials and representatives of financial and international institutions engaged in investment, development and food security. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation, fostering complementarity and alignment around shared priorities, and exploring investment and financing opportunities and partnerships to support sustainable food systems and advance food security.
Strengthening Investment Cooperation and Asset Management
Dr. Al Zaabi met with Mr. Emmanuel Laurina, Senior Managing Director and Head of Middle East, Africa and Official Institutions at State Street Investment Management. Discussions covered opportunities to strengthen investment cooperation, including in asset and portfolio management, as well as potential financing opportunities for agricultural projects that support food security and the expansion of investment in related sectors.
Expanding Cooperation with International Financial Institutions
Dr. Al Zaabi also met with H.E. Dr. Zain Zeidan, Director of the African Department at the International Monetary Fund. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation with international financial institutions, supporting agricultural investment, and exploring mechanisms to mobilise financing for initiatives and projects that contribute to food security and sustainable development.
Advancing International Partnerships and Innovation in Food Systems
In a separate meeting, Dr. Al Zaabi met with Dr. Konrad Rehn, Secretary-General of the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security. The discussion addressed opportunities to strengthen cooperation on food security, advance international partnerships and promote innovation in food systems, with a view to improving their efficiency, sustainability and capacity to respond to growing food security challenges.
AAAID’s participation underscores its commitment to strengthening its engagement with the international economic and development community and broadening partnerships with financial and development institutions. These efforts support AAAID’s work to identify investment and financing opportunities that contribute to Arab food security and the sustainability of food systems.
