Representatives from 57 Prospective Founding Members (PFMs) of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) gathered on June 29, 2015 in Beijing at a Signing Ceremony of the Bank's Articles of Agreement at the Great Hall of the People. 50 PFMs signed the Articles, including: Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam. The Articles remain open for signing by the remaining 7 Prospective Founding Members until the end of 2015.
Following the Signing Ceremony, China's President Xi Jinping welcomed the Heads of Delegations from the Bank's 57 Prospective Founding Members.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a written message of congratulations to Meeting Participants.
The AIIB grew from the recognition of the importance of infrastructure to the development of Asia and the need for significant additional long-term financing for infrastructure in the region. After the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the AIIB in October 2014,discussions on AIIB's charter among prospective members continued through Chief Negotiators' Meetings, culminating in the adoption of the final text of the Bank's Articles of Agreement by the 5th Chief Negotiators' Meeting in Singapore in on May 22, 2015.
The Bank, which will be headquartered in Beijing, will initially have an authorized capital stock of $100 billion. Reflecting regional character of the Bank, its regional members will be the majority shareholders, holding approximately 75 percent of shares. The Bank's foundation will be built on international best practices and the lessons and experiences of existing Multilateral Development Banks and the private sector. It is expected that the AIIB will be operational by the end of 2015.
Additional information on the AIIB, including its Articles of Agreement is available at http://www.aiib.org .
