UAE showcases global AI ambitions with $1B Africa pledge at G20
The Gulf country is the world's top investor in Africa, with Emirati companies committing $100 billion to projects on the continent between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the Financial Times.
The United Arab Emirates has announced a $1 billion investment to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure and services across Africa, according to a statement by the Abu Dhabi Media Office.
What happened: UAE Minister of State Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri launched the AI for Development Initiative during the G20 leaders’ summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday. The agenda aims to boost development across the continent by financing and supporting AI initiatives, according to the statement.
The investment will be implemented by the Abu Dhabi Exports Office, part of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, in collaboration with the UAE Agency for International Aid. The initiative aims to help developing countries overcome key challenges by integrating AI into sectors such as agriculture, education and infrastructure, to accelerate growth and sustainable development.
“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,” the minister said at the G20 summit.
