Qatar’s $100 Billion Commitment to Africa: Crafting a Distinctive Role on the Continent
Africa’s promising future is a peace dividend for Qatar.
Led by royal family member Sheikh Mansour bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s Al Mansour Holdings has accelerated its African investment drive, pledging $20 billion in Mozambique, $19 billion in Zimbabwe and Zambia, and $12 billion in Botswana—amounting to a $70 billion commitment during a 10-day continental tour. This historic pledge, alongside a series of other agreements made over the summer, marks a significant deepening of Qatari engagement. The surge occurs against the backdrop of setbacks and withdrawals by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a broader Gulf effort to assert influence. By contrast, Doha appears to be leveraging its established record of peaceful mediation to pursue more assertive investments in Africa, a market with significant growth potential.
