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JEDDAH: A new $6 billion investment mapping intiative was unveiled at the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, signaling a push to strengthen tourism, infrastructure, and connectivity links across the continent. 

Announced during a high-level ministerial roundtable in Dubai, it is expected to generate around 70,000 jobs across multiple African countries, according to UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri, the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, reported. 

The plan positions tourism as a central pillar for sustainable development and economic diversification, underscoring the UAE’s growing role as a key investor and strategic partner in Africa. 

Al-Marri said that the UAE and Africa stand at a pivotal moment in developing a resilient and sustainable tourism sector. 

He added: “This milestone is marked by the launch of a new investment mapping featuring diverse tourism projects in the fields of aviation, logistics services, infrastructure, and the digital sector, with an estimated total value of approximately $6 billion and the potential to generate 70,000 job opportunities in various countries of the African continent.” 

Between 2019 and 2023, UAE investments in Africa exceeded $110 billion, ranking the Gulf nation as the fourth-largest investor globally on the continent, after the US, China, and the EU. 

Over $70 billion of that capital has gone into green and renewable energy projects, highlighting the UAE’s focus on sustainable growth. 

Al-Marri noted that tourism ranks among the top five Emirati investment sectors in Africa, alongside energy, infrastructure, logistics, and real estate. 

The new round of projects announced at the summit marks an expansion of this strategy, building on the UAE’s ambitions to align investment with climate goals and sustainable tourism development. 

The summit, which began in Dubai on Oct. 27 under the theme “Building Bridges for Sustainable Growth,” is organized by The Bench as part of the Future Hospitality Summit 2025. 

The summit coincided with remarks from Secretary-General Elect of the UN World Tourism Organization for the 2026–2029 term, Shaikha Nasser Al-Nowais, who revealed that the global tourism and travel sector contributed $10.9 trillion to the world’s gross domestic product in 2024, accounting for 10 percent of the global economy. 

Speaking to WAM on the sidelines of the summit, she said this contribution is expected to rise to $11.7 trillion in 2025, marking a 6.7 percent increase over 2024 and a 13 percent growth compared with 2019 levels. 
 
Al-Nowais noted that while the sector’s recovery continues to outpace global growth, it faces mounting challenges from climate change, rapid technological shifts, and geopolitical tensions — areas that require innovation and cross-regional collaboration to address. 
 
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, stated that tourism cooperation between the UAE and Nigeria offers a promising avenue for mutual benefits. 

She highlighted some strategic projects for collaboration with the UAE and Emirati investors. 

On the domestic front, Al-Marri said tourism investments in the UAE reached 28.8 billion dirhams ($7.78 billion) in 2023, rose to 32.2 billion dirhams in 2024, and are expected to reach 35.2 billion dirhams in 2025, “reflecting the country’s ongoing efforts to provide exceptional investment opportunities,” WAM added. 

RIYADH: Finland sees untapped potential in commerical opportunities in ��������, according to the European country’s Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto.

Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of 9th Future Investment Initiative, the minister referenced numerous giga-projects and Expo 2030 as areas of interest.

Puisto highlighted that Finnish firms have consistently been present in the Kingdom for many years, explaining that most recently Kone — a company specializing in elevators — won the bid for the Jeddah Tower.

“Even though we have had good business relations with Finnish companies being in �������� for a long time, I think there is a lot of commercial potential to be untapped,” Puisto told Arab News. 

Puisto made his first visit to the Kingdom to speak on a ministerial panel during FII9, and he also planned to hold multiple sideline meetings to strengthen Saudi-Finnish cooperation, meeting with the ministers of commerce, industry, energy, sports, economy and planning.

Discussing bilateral ties and historic relations between �������� and Finland, Puisto described how the two countries have had long-standing diplomatic relations, adding that there is room to increase cooperation, especially under Vision 2030 projects.

“We see a lot of potential here with Vision 2030 by his Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and that is all of the projects associated with that for instance, NEOM, Expo 2030,” Puisto detailed. 

As a part of his visit, the minister visited the Expo 2030 offices, commenting: “It was a very, very welcoming, open experience. We were there this morning and met with the leadership, and they showed the master plan.”

He added: “First of all, it’s very impressive, like the districts how they planned it. And they are not only planning for the expo itself, but also transforming it afterwards into a global village.” 

The event will provide many “possibilities for tech solutions for instance, how to manage the private network the waste management, or like showcasing for the future technologies, recycling, environmentally friendly technologies,” the minister said.

“They were very open and for the discussions, and I think we impressed them with our company portfolio,” he added. 

Reflecting on his perception of the Kingdom, Puisto said: “I remember in the previous session, my first session in the parliament, I realized that there’s a lot of things going on in �������� and lots of modernization. �������� is having a huge urban development.” 

Promoting Finish businesses where he sees areas of potential collaboration is one of his commitments, and he said �������� is ” certainly one of the top, top picks” in this regard. 

The minster also highlighted the various tech solutions offered by Finish companies, setting out how they could help ��������.

“Today, I met with the Expo leadership, and they said that Expo 2030 foresight is essential, because it’s five years from now, essentially. So, much of the technology of today will be outdated by then. So, they need to look forward,” he said, adding: “I think we have a good sort of business opportunities there.”

During a reception held in the embassy in honor of the minister’s visit, Ambassador of Finland to �������� Anu-Eerika Viljanen delivered the opening remarks highlighting the areas of commercial cooperation between the two countries.

“Our strengths complement one another so nicely. Finland’s expertise in sectors such as innovation, technology, and circular economy meets ��������’s bold and forward-looking Vision 2030,” Viljanen told Arab News.

“It is a vision that aligns closely also with Finland’s aspirations, and I am proud to say that Finland and Finnish companies eagerly continue to partner with you and contribute to the success of your country,” the ambassador added.