Description

The Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the World Bank Group and the IMF took place from 19-24 September 2003 in Dubai, UAE. Delegates from 184 countries attended. The meetings, held on 23-24 September, were preceded by the International Monetary and Financial Committee and the Development Committee, which issued communiqués. The Development Committee discussed aid financing, global monitoring of the MDGs, the Bank’s infrastructure action plan, and debt relief. The Programme of Seminars from 20-22 September included discussions, seminars, and briefings on prosperity challenges and opportunities, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918–2004) was an Emirati leader, credited with founding the United Arab Emirates. He governed the Eastern Region before becoming Abu Dhabi's ruler in 1966 and later the UAE's first president until his passing in 2004. Revered as the "Father of the Nation," he played a pivotal role in uniting the seven emirates. Zayed succeeded his brother as Abu Dhabi's ruler after a peaceful coup in 1966.