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.
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At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE
Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
RESULTS
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SPECS
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
