UAE, African nations chart $6 billion tourism investment roadmap

The UAE has hosted a high-level ministerial roundtable with over 20 African nations in Dubai, launching a new investment roadmap to boost cooperation in tourism, aviation, transport, infrastructure and digital transformation.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, which positioned tourism as a key driver of sustainable economic growth across the UAE and Africa.

Chaired by UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the roundtable concluded with a joint ministerial statement outlining five priority areas for collaboration: tourism, investment and infrastructure, aviation and connectivity, sustainability, and SME financing and innovation.

A new investment mapping was unveiled, identifying tourism-related projects worth an estimated $6 billion, with the potential to create 70,000 jobs across Africa.

The initiative aims to attract global investors and foster public-private partnerships to support sustainable development.

The UAE was recognized as a strategic and reliable partner in advancing Africa’s tourism economy, sharing expertise in attracting investment, diversifying economies, and building sustainable destinations.

The meeting also called for deeper collaboration with international development institutions such as the African Development Bank, World Bank, and UN Tourism to support funding, innovation, and knowledge exchange — ensuring that tourism becomes a transformative engine for inclusive growth across the continent.