Djibouti City, Djibouti – As global economic headwinds and policy-driven turbulence took center stage at the second edition of the Djibouti Forum, leaders from across the world struck a hopeful tone, calling for deeper cooperation and bolder investment in Africa’s future.
Gathering over 150 global participants from 51 countries—including institutional investors managing a combined $2.6 trillion in assets—the Forum served as a platform to reimagine Africa’s economic trajectory through innovation, diversification, and strategic partnerships.
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Despite acknowledging the challenges, Djibouti’s Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed expressed confidence in the country’s vision to expand beyond its world-class ports and logistics infrastructure.
“Renewable energy, the digital economy, tourism, and financial services are at the heart of Djibouti’s next chapter,” he declared, emphasizing the country’s commitment to economic and political stability. “Our currency has been pegged to the U.S. dollar since 1949, offering investors a rare degree of predictability.”
A major theme throughout the forum was the call for greater domestic resource mobilization. Speakers emphasized empowering African pension funds and sovereign wealth funds to play a more active role in co-investing and absorbing risk in transformative projects.
Dr. Slim Feriani, CEO of the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Djibouti (FSD), highlighted the fund’s openness to international partnerships. “The FSD will invest alongside you. We’re putting skin in the game and plan to double our assets under management within five years. But we can’t do this alone,” he said.
With more than 50 high-profile speakers, discussions spanned key sectors including energy, connectivity, financial services, technology, tourism, and logistics. Key sessions also explored privatization opportunities and models for effective public-private partnerships.
Dr. Acha Leke, Senior Partner and Chairman of McKinsey & Company Africa, shared a message of long-term optimism. “Africa is home to 345 companies valued over $1 billion, with total revenues near $1 trillion. The opportunities are real.”
Lionel Zinsou, former Prime Minister of Benin, drew attention to the rise of philanthropic capital in Africa. “Philanthropy is now a vital player in blended finance, helping de-risk investments and reduce financing costs,” he noted.
Former World Bank Vice President Dr. Samuel Maimbo praised the FSD for pioneering a new model of sovereign collaboration. “The era of aid and debt must give way to one of hope and prosperity. This forum is a powerful start.”
Hosted by the FSD, the Djibouti Forum has quickly established itself as a leading platform for driving investment dialogue across the continent. Under the leadership of Dr. Feriani, a former Tunisian Minister with deep roots in international finance, Djibouti is positioning itself as a hub of opportunity, resilience, and forward-thinking economic strategy.
As the event concluded, one message rang clear: amidst uncertainty, optimism and unity remain Africa’s greatest competitive edge.
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