The first meeting of the year 2026 of the governors of the Association of African Central Banks (ABCA) opened this Thursday, May 7 in Dakar, at the headquarters of the Central Bank of the West African States. Chaired by Yvon Sana Bangui, also governor of the Central Bank of the Central African States, the meeting aims primarily to examine the implementation of decisions adopted during the session of November 28, 2025 held in Cameroon, as well as to strengthen the monetary and macro-prudential integration of the continent.
Governors review several major issues related to African financial and monetary integration. Discussions focus in particular on the progress of the Monetary Cooperation Program in Africa for the year 2025, including the economic convergence of the five sub-regions, as well as on the reasons for the non-compliance with certain program criteria.
The participants also examine the terms of reference of the project group on monetary policy and integration, developed by the ABCA secretariat in collaboration with the Bank of Mauritius. They also review the establishment of the African Monetary Institute (AMI), whose statutes were adopted in February 2026 by the African Union. “Its operationalization is planned by September 2026 and represents a decisive step towards the gradual institutional transition to a continental monetary union,” said Yvon Sana Bangui. In this regard, Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, Commissioner of the African Union in charge of economic development, tourism, trade, industry, and mining, urged the ABCA to finalize the appointment of AMI members, an essential step towards the creation of the African Central Bank.
The meeting also addresses the activities of the Community of African Banking Supervisors, the report of the project group on the integration of payment systems, as well as that of the African Financial Stability Committee. Institutional, administrative, and financial issues are finally on the agenda.
