Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to double financing by 2030
Infrastructure is not just concrete and steel but the foundation on which development, resilience and opportunity rest. In a world where uncertainty is becoming the norm, investment in reliable and innovative projects turns into the main tool for stability and growth. It is this mission that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is taking on as it opens a new decade of its work.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) opened its 11th annual meeting of the Board of Governors on Monday in Doha, Qatar, bringing together governors, senior officials, clients, partners and stakeholders. AIIB President Zou Jiayi addressed the event, setting out the bank's priorities for its next stage of growth, emphasizing that infrastructure remains central to development, resilience and opportunity in an increasingly uncertain global environment. She said the AIIB aims to double annual financing to about 20 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, focusing on infrastructure that supports climate resilience, renewable energy, digital transformation, regional connectivity, nature conservation and people-centered development.
The AIIB was established in January 2016 with a mission to foster sustainable economic development, create wealth, and improve infrastructure connectivity in Asia by investing in infrastructure and other productive sectors. This year's gathering marks the official start of a new decade for the young multilateral development bank. After completing its first decade of rapid expansion, the AIIB's membership has grown from its initial 57 founding members to 111 approved members. It has approved more than 79 billion U.S. dollars for over 400 projects across 43 economies, while maintaining AAA ratings from major international credit-rating agencies.
At a press conference, when asked about how the bank will strengthen cooperation to support its members in the coming decade, Zou emphasized that multilateralism remains the key. "We have 111 members from different regions with different development stages. We come together with the common conviction in our mission and mandate — that is to develop infrastructure, promote regional integration. So when we have different views, we discuss, we seek for solutions through consultation, through the multilateral governance structure," she said.
That vision of collaborative multilateralism is backed by solid progress on the ground, a record highlighted by the host nation. "The AIIB approved 10.6 billion dollars of financing last year, across 57 projects, with 71 percent of climate finance well ahead of its own targets. The bank's updated strategy sets a higher bar, doubling its annual financing by 2030 and mobilizing far more private capital alongside it. Those targets are the right ones, and they will help to enable the theme of this meeting, which is 'Tomorrow's Infrastructure: Impact and Innovation'," Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari said.
As reported by CCTV+, the AIIB annual meeting in Doha became an important platform for discussing how multilateral institutions, governments and private-sector partners can respond to infrastructure needs in a new global context, underscoring the importance of mobilizing private capital and deepening cooperation.
