Uniting capital with purpose is at the heart of the expanding UAE-Africa partnership

Africa is no longer a “future” opportunity. It is a present-day engine of global growth and innovation.

Home to about 1.5 billion people and the world’s youngest population, the continent is already reshaping global markets in energy, food, technology and culture. How the world chooses to partner with Africa over the coming decades will help define not only the continent’s trajectory, but our shared prosperity and stability.

The UAE’s relationship with Africa is rooted in proximity and long-standing human and cultural ties, and has evolved into a partnership based on mutual trust, respect and joint action. For the UAE – founded on connectivity, trade and a long-term vision of diversified growth – Africa is therefore not a distant trend, but a strategic opportunity and responsibility.

Between 2019 and 2023, Emirati investments in Africa surpassed $110 billion, making the UAE one of the continent’s most important global partners. With capital flowing into renewable energy, logistics, ports, digital infrastructure and other sectors, trade has expanded rapidly, underscoring the UAE’s role as a natural bridge between Africa, Asia and Europe.

In my role as a Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, I have seen how these economic ties increasingly go hand in hand with a deeper sense of shared purpose. Across Africa and the UAE, leading business families, foundations and social investors are converging around priorities that matter to people’s daily lives: education, youth employment, health, climate resilience and community development.

This week, the UAE is hosting a high-level delegation of African business and philanthropic leaders for a series of conversations. Between them, they have built some of the continent’s most influential companies and platforms, and established major foundations that support millions across Africa in entrepreneurship, education, health care and good governance.

Sheikh Khaled arrives in South Africa for G20 summit 00:30

Their presence in the UAE is not about a single deal or headline. It is about connecting ecosystems: African capital and talent with Emirati capital and connectivity; African innovation with Emirati technology platforms; African and Emir