Page 421 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

10/29/25, 2:59 PM UAE spotlights $110 billion investments in Africa at UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and
Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism hosted the UAE-
Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025. The summit, held today in Dubai under the theme ‘Building
Bridges for Sustainable Growth,’ witnessed extensive participation from over 350 leaders, ministers,
senior government officials, decision-makers, investors and entrepreneurs from the UAE and 53 African
countries.

The summit, held as part of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS World 2025) and in collaboration with
The Bench, was attended by key UAE and African leaders, including His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq
Al Marri, along with a number of senior investors and global chief executives in the tourism and
hospitality sectors at regional and international levels.

In his opening speech at the UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, Al Marri said: “Guided by
the wise vision of our leadership – a vision that not only anticipates the future but also actively shapes it
and achieves its milestones – the UAE has positioned tourism as a bridge connecting peoples and
cultures around the world. It has become a key driver for attracting investment and entrepreneurs,
strengthening the growth and competitiveness of the national economy, and a source of pride through its
pioneering achievements across all its verticals, led by national talents who have earned global trust to
hold high-level positions.”

Expanding Emirati investments in Africa

Al Marri added that the UAE is an exceptional model for tourism development, marked by qualitative
leaps in its policies and tourism infrastructure, aligned with global best practices. These include the
adoption of pioneering national initiatives and strategies, pumping investments into various tourism
fields, building distinguished tourism projects across the country, in addition to opening new airports,
expanding the airline network in cooperation with strategic partners worldwide, enhancing internal
transport networks and providing high-quality tourism services. This has all contributed to cementing the
UAE’s status as a leading destination in today’s global tourism landscape.

“The UAE continues to play an active role as a developmental partner for the African continent through
its consistent support for sustainable economic and tourism growth. In this context, hosting this summit
under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reflects our steadfast
commitment to expanding Emirati investments in Africa and building fruitful partnerships with
counterparts in both the public and private sectors. The summit also marks a new milestone in
strengthening economic and tourism cooperation between the UAE and the African continent,” he
added.

Travel and tourism industry could add $168 billion to Africa’s economy

At the UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, the Minister of Economy and Tourism said that
tourism is one of the key drivers of sustainable development and global economic growth. Beyond being
a leisure activity, it plays a crucial role in creating employment, empowering small and medium-sized
enterprises, and fostering economic and investment cooperation between countries.

“In Africa, the sector is still recovering from the pandemic. International data indicates that prior to the
crisis, it supported over 22 million jobs and contributed around $180 billion to the continent’s GDP.

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