UAE announces $1 billion AI development initiative for Africa
Abu Dhabi launches AI for development initiative for Africa at G20
#UAE #Africa #investment - The United Arab Emirates has announced a $1 billion initiative to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure and AI-enabled services across Africa at the Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit in Johannesburg. UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri announced the AI for Development Initiative will bring AI technology to areas including education, healthcare and climate adaptation. The UAE aims to help countries meet national development priorities. whilst enhancing productivity and improving government services. His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attended the summit on behalf of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with the UAE participating at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The initiative will be implemented by the Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX), part of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, in cooperation with the UAE Foreign Aid Agency.
SO WHAT? - The $1 billion could position the UAE as a largest technology investor in Africa, a continent that has lagged behind other regions in AI adoption despite rapid digitalisation in sectors including mobile payments and telecommunications. The initiative extends Abu Dhabi’s substantial economic footprint on the continent, where bilateral trade reached approximately $107 billion in 2024 (28% up on the previous year), whilst total UAE investments in Africa exceeded $118 billion between 2020 and 2024. By focusing on government services, education, healthcare and climate adaptation rather than purely commercial applications, the programme addresses development priorities where AI capabilities could deliver measurable improvements in public service delivery, positioning the UAE as a partner in Africa’s digital transformation whilst expanding its geopolitical influence.
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The UAE has announced a $1 billion AI for Development Initiative at the G20 leaders’ summit in Johannesburg to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure and AI-enabled services across Africa. The initiative aims to bring AI technology to education, healthcare and climate adaptation whilst helping countries meet national development priorities.
UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri announced the initiative, stating the UAE considers AI not just as a future industry but a cornerstone of humanity’s future, with the country actively accelerating innovation to enhance productivity and drive advancements in the global economy.
His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attended the G20 summit in Johannesburg on behalf of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with the UAE participating at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa hosting the first G20 leaders’ summit in Africa. The UAE delegation included several other ministers and high ranking officials.
UAE bilateral trade with Africa reached approximately $107 billion in 2024, representing a 28% increase from the previous year, whilst total UAE investments in Africa exceeded $118 billion between 2020 and 2024, establishing the Emirates as one of the biggest investors on the continent.
Abu Dhabi is investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure domestically. A new joint US-UAE regional AI compute cluster was announced in May, which is being built in Abu Dhabi targeting 5 Gigawatt (GW) capacity, positioning the UAE as both a regional AI hub and technology exporter.
The AI for Development Initiative aims to develop digital infrastructure, improve government services and enhance productivity across African nations, with the UAE committing to developing responsible and inclusive AI for the benefit of everyone through acceleration of innovation and technology deployment.
The 2025 G20 summit, held for the first time in Africa, addressed key global issues including inclusive economic growth, supporting a just transition in the energy sector, and accelerating progress towards achieving sustainable development goals at the global level.
ZOOM OUT - The UAE aleady has digital infrastructure agreements with a number of African countries, as part of wider trade and economic partnerships, including Egypt and Kenya. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi-based AI big data analytics company Presight has signed a number of government agreements on digital infrasctructure and smart services including agreements with Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Uganda.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]