The United Arab Emirates has become the largest backer of new business projects in Africa, raising hopes for a rush of money in the continent. However, the greater investments from the UAE also raise concerns that the influx of money could compromise the rights of workers and environmental protections.

Between 2019 and 2023, Emirati companies announced a whopping $110 billion worth of projects. According to The Financial Times, $72 billion of them were invested in the renewable energy sector. It is pertinent to note that the pledges were more than double the value of those made by companies from the United Kingdom, France or China.

In the past, the three nations were big-ticket players when it came to investments in infrastructure projects.