The UAE has launched a $1 billion initiative to advance digital infrastructure and improve lives across Africa under the guidance of Abu Dhabi Exports Office (Adex), the export financing arm of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD)
Also known as Ai.(d), the UAE-initiated and African co-owned platform has been launched under the leadership of the Office of Development Affairs, Presidential Court and was launched in November during the G20 Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The initiative aims to leverage AI as a transformative tool for sustainable and inclusive growth across the Global South, beginning with Africa.
It also aims to integrate AI-driven solutions in key development sectors such as education, agriculture, and digital infrastructure, advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) worldwide. And it also seeks to address development challenges while unlocking new opportunities for technological cooperation and economic resilience.
Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of ADFD and chairman of the Export Executive Committee of Adex, said Ai.(d) would advance inclusive and sustainable development through innovation and partnership.
“Through this initiative, Adex aims to bridge UAE expertise with global markets, empowering local companies to advance their technologies and generate meaningful international impact," he said.
As part of the project, the Ai.(d) Fund plans to establish Smart Resilient Future Zones (SRFZs), which will serve as AI-enabled corridors for education and agriculture, co-created with African governments.
The zones will work as innovation hubs where UAE technology companies can collaborate with African ministries, telecom operators, and local enterprises to co-develop data-driven tools that can enhance productivity and community well-being.
Ai.(d) builds on a UAE commitment to align innovation with impact, and position the nation as a leading hub for AI innovation that advances global prosperity through technology-enabled development.
Adex leads the initiative as the UAE’s main partner for structuring and scaling AI-for-development finance and combines export credit and catalytic investment mechanisms.
The dynamic platform aligns with the UAE’s goal of building a knowledge-based economy and reinforces Adex's commitment to expanding innovative development solutions by financing projects that integrate tech and sustainability.
Mr Al Suwaidi further reinforced Adex's commitment to leveraging AI for equitable growth and lasting development within various sectors, including education, agriculture and infrastructure, thereby unlocking new opportunities for comprehensive development worldwide.
He said: “Through our innovative financial solutions, Adex aims to support companies in turning ideas into action. Additionally, through the integration of technology, finance, and partnerships, we aim to support developing nations to overcome traditional barriers and achieve long-term resilience.
"By combining export finance with strategic development investment, we enable UAE enterprises to form strong partnerships abroad, creating tangible social and economic benefits for communities worldwide.”
“The initiative is being underpinned by the Multilateral Innovation Fund, a blended-finance mechanism established to reduce risks and finance AI-powered projects across Africa."
The fund’s initial UAE anchor capital is projected at $1 billion and the first projects are expected to be implemented across multiple regions in Africa, in coordination with local governments and international development finance institutions.
Ai.(d) builds upon a successful track record in international development, notably through the Africa Green Investment Initiative, which included allocating $4.5 billion from the UAE to deliver 15GW of new clean power capacity by 2030, thereby supporting an inclusive energy transition for Africa.
A broader example of international development is the Irena Partnership. Through a $400 million commitment to the Energy Transition Accelerator Financing Platform, ADFD became the first development institution to support this global platform dedicated to accelerating renewable energy deployment worldwide.
Through Ai.(d), the UAE continues to advance transformative initiatives that integrate technological innovation with human development and reinforces its position as a trusted global partner in shaping future sustainable digital growth.
As a governmental platform, Adex will develop financial solutions and mobilise capital to support joint projects, promoting sustainable impact in beneficiary countries while empowering UAE companies to implement AI technologies and contribute to sustainable, technology-enabled growth globally.
Africa has a young, rapidly growing population and immense potential for digital transformation. With governments across the continent increasingly prioritising innovation and technology as drivers of national development, partnering through Ai.(d) enables the UAE to co-create AI-enabled solutions that address shared challenges while fostering mutual growth and knowledge exchange.
Through leveraging AI tools to enhance agricultural productivity, improve access to digital education, and strengthen infrastructure management, African communities can experience advanced food security, job creation, and increased digital literacy, all of which play a key role in advancing long-term development.
With sustainability central to Adex's participation, financing will prioritise projects that align with environmental, social, and governance principles to ensure inclusivity and long-term benefits for local communities.
Each project will integrate measurable development outcomes alongside commercial viability.
The initiative presents a clear mutual advantage with UAE tech firms gaining access to new markets through structured partnerships that support their international expansion, while ensuring their innovations deliver real, measurable impact in emerging economies
Mr Al Suwaidi said: “Through this initiative, we aim to enable UAE companies to contribute to impactful development projects that foster stronger economic and technological cooperation between the UAE and African countries, while advancing global sustainable development goals.
The following phase involves finalising project pipelines with African governments, mobilising co-investment partners for the MIF, and initiating the design of the first SRFZs in 2026.
More details about the initiative are available at www.adex.ae
This page was produced by The National in partnership with ADFD.
