The UAE has been selected to host the 2029 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, with Abu Dhabi set to welcome delegates from around the world. The hosting agreement was signed at the close of this year's Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand. Under the arrangement, finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers, economists, and representatives from the private sector and civil society across 191 countries are expected to attend the gathering in the UAE capital. This marks the second time the Emirates has hosted the meetings; the first was in Dubai back in 2003. Officials described the decision to award Abu Dhabi the 2029 meetings as a reflection of international confidence in the UAE's economic and financial ecosystem. The IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings rank among the most closely watched events on the global economic calendar, bringing together senior decision-makers to discuss the state of the world economy, financial stability, sovereign debt and monetary policy. Securing the 2029 edition gives the UAE a renewed platform to draw global media and economic policymakers' attention and to reinforce its standing as a regional and international financial hub. Hosting such a large-scale gathering is also expected to benefit Abu Dhabi's business tourism, hospitality and events sectors, since meetings of this scale typically draw thousands of participants, advisers and journalists from across the globe, filling hotels and conference venues for days at a stretch.