ADFIAP 49 sharpens the investment conversation between the Gulf and Asia-Pacific

The 49th Annual Meetings of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) brought development finance leaders, policymakers and private-sector participants together in Colombo from September 23 to 25. ADFIAP is the regional focal point for institutions financing development across Asia and the Pacific, with 97 member institutions in 42 countries. Its reach also connects with regional associations in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East through the World Federation of Development Financing Institutions.

That makes its agenda directly relevant to Gulf investors. Across Asia and the Pacific, demand for capital is growing in infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, food security, technology, tourism and SME development. The Gulf brings capital, connectivity and sector expertise. Development finance institutions bring local knowledge, project pipelines and the ability to structure investments around the commercial and developmental realities of each market.

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Hosted by DFCC Bank under the theme “Partnerships for Prosperity: Unlocking Regional Potential”, ADFIAP 49 examined five connected priorities: public-private partnerships, regional economic integration, climate finance, digital transformation for SMEs and social inclusion.

These were not separate conversations. Infrastructure requires long-term capital and credible risk-sharing. Regional integration gives investors access to larger markets and more resilient supply chains. Climate projects often need blended finance or guarantees before commercial capital can participate. Digital systems can bring smaller businesses into formal finance, while inclusion determines whether growth reaches the communities and enterprises expected to sustain it.

During the discussions, Thimal Perera, CEO and director of DFCC Bank, noted that conventional debt may not suit every development need. Some projects require guarantees, patient capital, blended finance, quasi-equity or minority equity before they become commercially viable.

The point is especially relevant to the Gulf-Asia investment relationship. Capital and opportunity may exist on either side, but moving from interest to investment requires institutions that can identify viable projects, conduct local due diligence, structure the right financing mix and manage early-stage risk. Development finance institutions can provide that bridge.

The Gulf is already part of ADFIAP’s wider regional conversation. Muscat hosted the Association’s 48th Annual Meetings in 2025, as well as earlier annual conferences, reflecting longstanding engagement between Gulf and Asia-Pacific development finance communities.

DFCC Bank’s role in Colombo was to provide a credible platform for that dialogue. As a founding and charter member of ADFIAP, and an institution established with a development finance mandate, the Bank hosted the meeting and helped bring regional institutions and private-sector participants into the same room.