AFRICA – The African Development Bank Group and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) have held discussions on scaling up joint investment and aligning more closely on Africa’s development priorities. The discussions at the Bank Group’s headquarters are expected to feed directly into expected negotiations on a new partnership agreement. African Development Bank vice president for regional development, integration and business delivery Nnenna Nwabufo noted in her remarks that the partnership had entered a decisive phase as the current 2021–2026 partnership agreement nears its end. “This deep dive came at a strategic moment, coinciding with the leadership transition at the African Development Bank and the final year of the Partnership Framework Agreement,” Mariko said. Beyond financing, participants explored strengthening institutional collaboration, including staff exchanges and closer coordination between regional and sector teams.