Page 529 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

10/28/25, 9:26 AM UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit launches $6bn investment mapping, projecting to generate 70,000 jobs
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, held
under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President

and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Held under the theme "Tourism at the Heart of Africa's Growth Agenda," the roundtable was
attended by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, alongside tourism
ministers and officials from more than 20 African nations. The ministers underscored their
commitment to strengthening collaboration to facilitate investments and enhance air connectivity

and infrastructure in Africa, and to innovate sustainable solutions and policies that bolster the
resilience of the tourism economy in the face of global challenges.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said: "Today, the UAE and Africa stand at a pivotal moment in
developing a resilient and sustainable tourism sector. This milestone is marked by the launch of a
new investment mapping featuring diverse tourism projects in the fields of aviation, logistics

services, infrastructure, and the digital sector, with an estimated total value of approximately $6
billion and the potential to generate 70,000 job opportunities in various countries of the African
continent.

This step aims to create a qualitative shift in the level of tourism partnerships between the UAE and
Africa. It will also pave the way for regional and global business communities to participate in

UAE-Africa tourism investment projects, thus enhancing the position of tourism as a fundamental
pillar of sustainable and comprehensive economic development.''

He emphasised the importance of tourism cooperation in the next phase to build new partnerships
between the public and private sectors with the aim of exploring and developing innovative
financing and investment tools in various tourism activities. He further noted that the UAE has
emerged as a strategic hub for building such effective and impactful international tourism

partnerships and serves as a successful model for sharing its tourism expertise and capabilities with
Africa, supported by its robust experience and world-class infrastructure.

The meeting focused on advancing cooperation to transform tourism from a cultural activity into a
strategic pillar within the economic policies of the participating countries. It showcased the UAE's
model of tourism development and its success in attracting high-quality global investment to the

sector, thereby enhancing economic diversification and contributing to national GDP growth. The
discussions also underscored the vital role of international development agencies, global financial
institutions, and the private sector in expanding Africa's tourism industry.

During the roundtable, ministers reviewed global and regional economic developments and their
implications for the tourism sector. They emphasized that tourism, aviation, trade, technology, and

enabling infrastructure are key drivers of sustainable and inclusive growth, job creation, and deeper
regional integration.

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