UAE announces $1bn initiative to expand AI in Africa
The United Arab Emirates said on Saturday it will invest $1-billion to expand AI infrastructure and AI-enabled services across Africa, with the aim of helping countries meet national development priorities.
UAE Minister of State Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri announced the "AI for development initiative" at the G20 leaders' summit in Johannesburg, saying it would bring AI technology to areas such as education, healthcare, and climate adaptation.
"We consider AI not just as a future industry but a cornerstone of humanity's future," he said in a statement.
"Therefore, my country is actively accelerating innovation to enhance productivity and drive significant advancements in the global economy, with a strong commitment to developing responsible and inclusive AI for the benefit of everyone."
The UAE is one of the biggest investors in Africa. Its bilateral trade in 2024 reached approximately $107-billion, a 28% increase from the previous year, and its total investments in Africa were over $118-billion between 2020 and 2024, the statement said.
Abu Dhabi is investing heavily in AI, with plans to build one of the world's largest data-centre hubs in the country with U.S. technology.
The UAE is not a member of the Group of 20, which brings together the world's biggest economies, but was invited to the meeting by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is hosting the G20 leaders' summit for the first time in Africa.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation














