Africa is rapidly emerging as a vital market for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the UAE the largest investor on The Continent Among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
The significant opportunities along the UAE- Africa trade and investment corridor were explored at the inaugural edition of The Af- rica Debate–UAE by Invest Africa, at the Address Sky View hotel in Dubai on October 31, where over 400 industry experts, policy leaders, and busi- ness pioneers gathered to discuss partnerships across logistics and supply chain optimization, to infrastruc- ture development and energy transition.
The day included prominent speakers from both re- gions, such as UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri; UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan; Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube; and South Africa’s Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson.
In an interview with FORBES AFRICA on the sidelines of the summit, Macpherson reflected on his bilateral meet- ings with the UAE’s ministers of economy and foreign affairs. “They are young chaps like myself committed to making their countries better. And we’re already talking on WhatsApp. South Africa and the UAE share a very important historical relationship,” he said.
With South Africa set to host Africa’s first-ever G20 summit in 2025, Macpherson added that the UAE has been invited as “special guests”.
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“They are one of, I think, five countries we have invited… and to all our ministerial meetings. There’s a lot we can learn. And that’s the commitment the ministers have given me,” said Macpherson, whose planned itinerary in the UAE also included visits to infrastructure projects such as Dubai’s ports. “The UAE are really kings of infra- structure, they have understood how to rapidly scale up an economy through infrastructure-led growth, which is crucial.”
“Whilst Africa is not without its own challenges, many nations across the continent are on a positive economic trajectory: public debt is stabilizing, inflation is easing, and growth rates are rising. This economic landscape has drawn renewed investor interest, especially from the UAE and the wider GCC region. In the past year alone, Gulf-based firms have announced over 70 major projects in Africa, with an estimated value exceeding $50 billion,” said Karen Taylor, Executive Chair of Invest Africa.
Zimbabwe’s Ncube also spoke to FORBES AFRICA on the side- lines of the summit about his country’s ties with the UAE: “My presence here is very significant, basically, to share with investors all the wonderful opportunities that Zimbabwe offers, but also to share what’s already happening between the UAE and Zimbabwe in a va- riety of areas; Zimbabwe offers so many opportunities right across the board.”
Following a decade of success in London, Invest Africa, the pan- African business platform founded in 1956 to promote trade and investment across the continent, brought the flagship conference to Dubai for the first time. “The overwhelming interest we’ve received from investors, business leaders, and policymakers is a testament to the power and promise of UAE-Africa collaboration,” added Taylor.
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