The United Arab Emirates has reinforced its position as a key investment partner in Africa, ranking fourth globally behind the United States, China, and the European Union, according to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.
Addressing the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025 at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah, Bin Touq disclosed that UAE investments in Africa surpassed $110 billion between 2019 and 2023, signalling a transformative period in cross-continental economic cooperation.
Of the total UAE investment in Africa, more than US$70 billion has been allocated to green and renewable energy initiatives, highlighting the country’s leadership among Arab and GCC investors. This focus seeks to address critical gaps created by the withdrawal of traditional Western investors.
Africa’s FDI inflows reached approximately US$97 billion in 2024, with the European Union holding the largest cumulative investment stock, followed by the United States, and China’s involvement estimated at $42 billion.
The UAE has positioned itself as the continent’s fourth-largest investor, targeting Africa’s annual infrastructure shortfall of roughly US$150 billion. By 2025, its FDI stock in Africa surpassed $60 billion, and at the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, it pledged around $6 billion in new tourism-focused projects to foster economic collaboration and generate thousands of jobs.
Ahmed Aboudouh, associate fellow at Chatham House, said, “African countries are in dire need of this money for their own energy transitions.” The UAE’s renewable energy investments notably exceed those of traditional players such as the United Kingdom, France, and China.
The summit, themed “Building Bridges for Sustainable Growth,” brought together over 350 participants from 53 African nations, including ministers, senior government officials, investors, and entrepreneurs.
UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said, “The summit featured investment cooperation opportunities between the UAE and more than 20 African countries,” adding that the platform reaffirmed the UAE’s long-term commitment to building mutually beneficial economic ties with Africa.
Dubai’s DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators, currently manages six African ports and has established itself as a cornerstone of the continent’s logistics infrastructure.
The company operates in nine African countries, including Algeria, Angola, Djibouti, Egypt, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. Similarly, Abu Dhabi Ports has expanded operations to strategic locations such as Guinea, Egypt, and Angola.
These investments are complemented by renewable energy initiatives, with DP World partnering with Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy enterprise, to implement solar and battery energy storage systems across its African port operations.
Beyond ports and renewable energy, UAE investors have made significant inroads into Africa’s mining sector.
In a landmark transaction, International Resource Holdings, associated with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, acquired a 51 percent stake in Zambia’s Mopani Copper Mines for $1.1 billion, with the aim of revitalizing production, preserving employment, and increasing copper output.
The UAE’s investment strategy also encompasses carbon credit markets and sustainable forestry. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook al-Maktoum has concluded agreements since 2022 to sell carbon credits from forests in Tanzania, Liberia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Source: Africabusinessinsider
