BANGKOK – Sudan’s central bank is studying a new African Development Bank Group initiative aimed at mobilizing $20 billion over four years through partnerships with African central banks, as Khartoum seeks to expand financial cooperation and access new development financing tools.

The discussions took place during a high-level session on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group in Bangkok, attended by Sudan’s First Deputy Central Bank Governor Mutasim Abdullah al-Faki.

The session focused on strengthening cooperation between the African Development Bank Group and central banks across the continent, with an emphasis on mobilizing African financial resources and directing them toward development priorities.

Under the pilot initiative, the African Development Bank Group aims to mobilize $20 billion over four years beginning in 2027 through investments by participating central banks in its financial instruments.

The proposed instruments include highly rated bonds, hybrid capital instruments and inaugural highly rated bonds issued by the African Development Fund.

The initiative also includes local-currency liquidity arrangements and technical and advisory support for central banks in areas including reserve management, treasury operations and asset management.

Participation would not require central banks to make a fixed financial commitment, allowing each institution to determine whether and how much to invest based on its own priorities and financial conditions.

According to the proposal, hybrid capital investments could help leverage financing by as much as four times the amount invested through established financial mechanisms.

Al-Faki reaffirmed the Central Bank of Sudan’s interest in strengthening cooperation with the African Development Bank Group and exploring new partnership opportunities.

He said the bank would study the proposals, including possible benefits from technical cooperation, asset and treasury management services and local-currency liquidity arrangements, subject to the terms and mechanisms being developed.

Sudan’s participation in the discussions comes as the central bank seeks to broaden its engagement with African and international financial institutions and explore tools that could support financial stability and the country’s longer-term development priorities.

The Central Bank of Sudan has not announced a decision to invest in the initiative or specified any potential financial contribution.