The UAE announced a $1 billion "AI for development initiative" on Saturday, unveiling a plan to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure and AI-enabled services across Africa, at the Group of 20 leaders' summit in Johannesburg.
The initiative was announced in a speech delivered by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who led the UAE delegation at the G20 meeting on behalf of President Sheikh Mohamed.
It will provide access to AI computing power, technical expertise and global partnerships, while supporting African countries in delivering projects in education, agriculture, health care, digital identity and climate adaptation, said UAE Minister of State Saeed Al Hajeri in a statement.
The UAE ranks second globally in artificial intelligence capability, according to a 2025 study by TRG Datacenters, a Texas company focused on national AI supercomputing power, AI company activity and government AI readiness – placing it behind the US. The Emirates has more than 188,000 AI chips and a total power capacity of 6.4K megawatts, the company says.
It is now seeking to put artificial intelligence “at the service of development, by developing digital infrastructure, enhancing government services and improving productivity” in Africa.
“This is AI deployed at scale to meet national development priorities – not experimental work, but practical delivery,” said Mr Al Hajeri. “Our goal now is to ensure these capabilities benefit partners across the Global South, and that no country is left behind in the AI age.”
This week, the US authorised the export of Nvidia's AI chips to UAE artificial intelligence company G42 and Saudi tech start-up Humain.
The approval was seen as a significant step for the UAE and Saudi Arabia's broader diversification efforts.
The announcement falls under the bilateral deals the US has made with the two Gulf countries. In March, the UAE pledged to spend $1.4 trillion in the US as part of a broader technology investment framework. In May, the UAE announced plans to launch a 5-gigawatt UAE-US AI Campus during US President Donald Trump's visit to the country.
The UAE has developed start-ups, partnerships and attracted investments from major tech companies, including Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI.
Mr Al Hajeri delivered his remarks in South Africa, host of the first G20 leaders’ summit to take place in Africa. Although not a formal G20 member, the UAE participates as an invited guest.
Commitment to Africa
Mr Al Hajeri said his country's commitment to Africa extends beyond technology.
“We are delivering large-scale clean energy projects across the continent. The UAE is preparing to co-host the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, in partnership with the Republic of Senegal,” he said.
The UAE is also a major aid donor in Africa, providing $1.05 billion in total assistance in 2023 and last year, according to the UAE Aid dashboard. In Sudan alone, the Emirates has delivered $784 million in aid since the outbreak of the civil war in 2023, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Abu Dhabi is one of the biggest investors in the continent. “The UAE is now the fourth-largest investor in Africa, with bilateral trade in 2024 having reached approximately $107 billion,” said Mr Al Hajeri.
“UAE investments in Africa amounted to approximately $118.6 billion between 2020 and 2024,” he added.
