diff --git a/.ci/linux-build.sh b/.ci/linux-build.sh
index 4cdbe9b9e9..1edbf5afc2 100755
--- a/.ci/linux-build.sh
+++ b/.ci/linux-build.sh
@@ -12,15 +12,16 @@ fi
 install_libabigail() {
     version=$1
     instdir=$2
+    tarball=$version.tar.xz
 
-    wget -q "http://mirrors.kernel.org/sourceware/libabigail/${version}.tar.gz"
-    tar -xf ${version}.tar.gz
+    wget -q "http://mirrors.kernel.org/sourceware/libabigail/$tarball"
+    tar -xf $tarball
     cd $version && autoreconf -vfi && cd -
     mkdir $version/build
     cd $version/build && ../configure --prefix=$instdir && cd -
     make -C $version/build all install
     rm -rf $version
-    rm ${version}.tar.gz
+    rm $tarball
 }
 
 configure_coredump() {
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 272a6ffc7f..af514e9545 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ jobs:
       BUILD_EXAMPLES: ${{ contains(matrix.config.checks, 'examples') }}
       CC: ccache ${{ matrix.config.compiler }}
       DEF_LIB: ${{ matrix.config.library }}
-      LIBABIGAIL_VERSION: libabigail-2.1
+      LIBABIGAIL_VERSION: libabigail-2.4
       MINGW: ${{ matrix.config.cross == 'mingw' }}
       MINI: ${{ matrix.config.mini != '' }}
       PPC64LE: ${{ matrix.config.cross == 'ppc64le' }}
-      REF_GIT_TAG: none
+      REF_GIT_TAG: v23.11
       RISCV64: ${{ matrix.config.cross == 'riscv64' }}
       RUN_TESTS: ${{ contains(matrix.config.checks, 'tests') }}
       STDATOMIC: ${{ contains(matrix.config.checks, 'stdatomic') }}
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
             checks: stdatomic
           - os: ubuntu-20.04
             compiler: gcc
-            checks: debug+doc+examples+tests
+            checks: abi+debug+doc+examples+tests
           - os: ubuntu-20.04
             compiler: clang
             checks: asan+doc+tests
diff --git a/ABI_VERSION b/ABI_VERSION
index d9133a54b6..0dad123924 100644
--- a/ABI_VERSION
+++ b/ABI_VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-24.0
+24.1
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 94c0153b26..04137136bd 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-23.11.0
+24.03.0-rc0
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst
index d072815279..88f2b30b03 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Release Notes
     :maxdepth: 1
     :numbered:
 
+    release_24_03
     release_23_11
     release_23_07
     release_23_03
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_03.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_03.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e9c9717706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_03.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+   Copyright 2023 The DPDK contributors
+
+.. include:: <isonum.txt>
+
+DPDK Release 24.03
+==================
+
+.. **Read this first.**
+
+   The text in the sections below explains how to update the release notes.
+
+   Use proper spelling, capitalization and punctuation in all sections.
+
+   Variable and config names should be quoted as fixed width text:
+   ``LIKE_THIS``.
+
+   Build the docs and view the output file to ensure the changes are correct::
+
+      ninja -C build doc
+      xdg-open build/doc/guides/html/rel_notes/release_24_03.html
+
+
+New Features
+------------
+
+.. This section should contain new features added in this release.
+   Sample format:
+
+   * **Add a title in the past tense with a full stop.**
+
+     Add a short 1-2 sentence description in the past tense.
+     The description should be enough to allow someone scanning
+     the release notes to understand the new feature.
+
+     If the feature adds a lot of sub-features you can use a bullet list
+     like this:
+
+     * Added feature foo to do something.
+     * Enhanced feature bar to do something else.
+
+     Refer to the previous release notes for examples.
+
+     Suggested order in release notes items:
+     * Core libs (EAL, mempool, ring, mbuf, buses)
+     * Device abstraction libs and PMDs (ordered alphabetically by vendor name)
+       - ethdev (lib, PMDs)
+       - cryptodev (lib, PMDs)
+       - eventdev (lib, PMDs)
+       - etc
+     * Other libs
+     * Apps, Examples, Tools (if significant)
+
+     This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+     Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+     =======================================================
+
+
+Removed Items
+-------------
+
+.. This section should contain removed items in this release. Sample format:
+
+   * Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the removed item
+     in the past tense.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+
+API Changes
+-----------
+
+.. This section should contain API changes. Sample format:
+
+   * sample: Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the API change
+     which was announced in the previous releases and made in this release.
+     Start with a scope label like "ethdev:".
+     Use fixed width quotes for ``function_names`` or ``struct_names``.
+     Use the past tense.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+
+ABI Changes
+-----------
+
+.. This section should contain ABI changes. Sample format:
+
+   * sample: Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the ABI change
+     which was announced in the previous releases and made in this release.
+     Start with a scope label like "ethdev:".
+     Use fixed width quotes for ``function_names`` or ``struct_names``.
+     Use the past tense.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+* No ABI change that would break compatibility with 23.11.
+
+
+Known Issues
+------------
+
+.. This section should contain new known issues in this release. Sample format:
+
+   * **Add title in present tense with full stop.**
+
+     Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the known issue
+     in the present tense. Add information on any known workarounds.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+
+Tested Platforms
+----------------
+
+.. This section should contain a list of platforms that were tested
+   with this release.
+
+   The format is:
+
+   * <vendor> platform with <vendor> <type of devices> combinations
+
+     * List of CPU
+     * List of OS
+     * List of devices
+     * Other relevant details...
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
