The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development participated in the recent “African Investment Forum 2025 – Market Days” held in Rabat, Morocco. The delegation was led by Dr. Obaid Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Board, alongside Dr. Abdelilah Belatiti, Advisor and Head of Strategic Transformation and Investment. The event was themed “Bridging the Gap: Mobilizing Private Capital to Unlock Africa’s Full Potential.”
During the panel discussion titled “Innovative Financing Tools Support Sustainable Transformation in Africa,” Dr. Obaid Al Zaabi emphasized the urgent need for a complete overhaul in the financing of food systems and food security across Arab and African regions. He asserted that securing a stable food future necessitates a fundamental shift in resource mobilization strategies, viewing agricultural value chains as strategic assets with long-term economic and developmental returns.
Moreover, Al Zaabi pointed out that climate change is no longer merely an environmental concern but has evolved into a direct financial threat to our public budgets. He proposed that food security financing should transition from traditional support frameworks to sustainable institutional investment approaches. He called for the expansion of credit guarantees and the development of sustainable financing tools, while also advocating for innovative financing mechanisms tailored to support smallholder farmers, who he described as “the true drivers of the food system in Africa.”