ABA Meeting with the World Bank Team
Date: October 20, 2025
The Afghanistan Banks Association (ABA), together with several of its member banks, participated in a virtual introductory meeting with Ms. Nadine and Mr. Andrej, who will be leading the Financial Sector portfolio at the World Bank, on Monday, October 20, 2025.
This meeting marked an important step toward strengthening coordination and collaboration between the World Bank and Afghanistan’s banking sector. The discussion provided an opportunity to welcome the new World Bank representatives and exchange views on ongoing and future initiatives aimed at promoting the development and stability of the country’s financial system.
During the meeting, the ABA leadership provided an update to the World Bank on the positive developments within the banking sector, including improvements in deposits, assets, and the revival of customer confidence, as well as the expansion of Islamic banking operations. The discussion also covered key challenges and opportunities related to the conversion to full Islamic banking, digital banking services, and liquidity strengthening.
ABA emphasized that the banking sector in Afghanistan is not under any international sanctions, and highlighted that domestic bank continue to facilitate billions of dollars in trade-related remittances, supporting both imports and exports.
The ABA requested the World Bank’s expanded support in areas such as credit guarantee schemes, Islamic banking conversion, and capacity building for the sector. In response, the World Bank representatives reaffirmed their commitment to exploring avenues of support that could contribute to the stabilization and growth of Afghanistan’s banking system.
