Dubai is set to host the 5th Investment & Cooperation Summit for South African state‑owned companies from September 22 to 24, 2025, at the Waldorf Astoria in the Dubai International Financial Centre. The summit aims to connect South Africa’s publicly‑owned companies with leading investors from the Gulf region and the UAE, sovereign wealth funds, and major corporations to speed up infrastructure development and boost trade.

Key Objectives

• Forge Partnerships: Strengthen collaboration in strategic sectors such as transportation, energy, water, and infrastructure.

• Improve Governance & Investment Environment: Build on reform efforts to improve governance, remove investment barriers, and bolster regulatory frameworks.

• Bridge Middle East–Africa Relations: Deepen ties between the Middle East and Africa, following concrete outcomes from previous summits—such as joint financing arrangements via South Africa’s development bank, possible issuance of Sukuk with the National Treasury, and investment opportunities between the UAE’s Public Investment Fund and Gulf partners.

Participants & Format

The 3‑day summit will bring together over 100 senior figures, including:

• Leaders of state‑owned enterprises from South Africa

• Government officials

• Investors from Gulf Cooperation Council countries

The agenda includes keynote addresses, panel discussions, interactive dialogues, and focused bilateral meetings.

Focus Areas & Investment Needs

South Africa is keen to attract long‑term, sustainable investments. Among the key projects and needs:

• Expansion of ports and strengthening electric power transmission networks—with required capital in excess of 350 billion South African Rand.

• A large‑scale water infrastructure programme valued at 900 billion Rand, targeted for completion by 2030.

South Africa’s national development plan seeks to raise infrastructure investment from under 20% of GDP to at least 30% by 2030—a target of over 4.8 trillion Rand this decade—with about 3.2 trillion Rand expected to come from both domestic and foreign partnerships.

Theme & Significance

This year’s theme—“Mobilising Infrastructure Directed Capital in Africa – Resilience Through Reforms”—captures the urgency of harnessing capital from Gulf investors to support South Africa’s priority infrastructure agenda. As reforms deepen and investor confidence grows, there is a hopeful shift from commitments to sustainable impact.