Dubai will host the Investment and Cooperation Summit for State-Owned Enterprises from South Africa, scheduled for September 22 to 24, 2025. The event will take place at the Waldorf Astoria in the Dubai International Financial Centre. The summit aims to connect South African state-owned enterprises with prominent investors from the Gulf region, particularly the UAE, alongside sovereign wealth funds and large corporations, to expedite infrastructure development and boost trade.
The conference will focus on enhancing partnerships that contribute to the advancement of crucial sectors such as transportation, energy, and water, building on reforms aimed at improving governance, removing investment barriers, and strengthening regulatory frameworks.
Additionally, the summit seeks to strengthen ties between the Middle East and Africa. Previous editions have yielded tangible outcomes, including co-funding from the Southern African Development Bank, discussions around Sukuk issuance with the National Treasury, and potential joint investments between the Public Investment Corporation and Gulf partners.
Inclusive Growth
According to Lufuyu Masinda, CEO of corporate and investment banking at Standard Bank Group, “We are honored to once again contribute to organizing this significant event. Standard Bank firmly believes in the power of partnerships to deliver infrastructure projects that support inclusive growth across Africa. The 2025 summit comes at a pivotal time as South Africa continues to deepen its reforms and build investor confidence. For us, it is about turning intentions into actions and actions into sustainable impacts.”
The three-day event is expected to attract over 100 high-level officials, including leaders of South African state-owned enterprises, government representatives, and investors from Gulf nations. Attendees will engage through keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive dialogues, and targeted one-on-one meetings.
Sustainable Investments
Masinda noted that the summit’s agenda reflects South Africa’s ambition to attract long-term and sustainable investments. Participants will explore opportunities ranging from port expansions to electricity transmission network developments, which require funding exceeding 350 billion rand, alongside a significant water infrastructure program valued at 900 billion rand that is set to be completed by 2030.
An Attractive Environment
He added, “This year’s theme of resilience through reforms reflects ongoing efforts to create an attractive investment environment in Africa. Gulf capital and expertise, combined with the continent’s immense growth potential, can open a new chapter in infrastructure development that benefits everyone and facilitates Gulf investments in infrastructure projects in Africa.”
This year’s conference theme is “Mobilizing Capital for Infrastructure in Africa – Resilience through Reforms,” highlighting the urgent need to attract Middle Eastern investors’ capital to support South Africa’s infrastructure priorities.
The national development plan aims to increase infrastructure investment from less than 20% of GDP to at least 30% by 2030, which translates to more than 4.8 trillion rand over the decade. The country requires significant mobilization of private capital, with an estimated 3.2 trillion rand expected to come from local and foreign partnerships.