Remarks by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga at the 2026 Annual Meetings Plenary - World Bank Group

Remarks by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga at the 2026 Annual Meetings Plenary Let me begin by thanking the Prime Minister and the people of Thailand for your generous hospitality. Deputy Prime Minister, Governor—thank you for the care and hard work you and your teams have put into these Meetings. And to our Chair, thank you for your leadership. It is a pleasure to be here with all of you. In the months before I joined the World Bank Group in June 2023, three truths emerged clearly from conversations with shareholders, clients, private sector leaders, philanthropies, and others. The challenges were great. Resources were limited. And the World Bank Group needed to face the wind. Three years later, the wind has not eased. Conflicts persist.