The United Arab Emirates has appointed Badr Jafar as Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, a move aimed at deepening ties between government, business and charitable sectors as the Gulf country seeks to bolster its role in sustainable development and economic diplomacy.
The appointment was announced by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, and comes as part of the country’s broader strategy to enhance cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Jafar, a prominent Emirati businessman and social entrepreneur, will be tasked with connecting domestic and international private sector actors with government institutions, mobilising support for the UAE’s diplomatic initiatives, and advocating for greater coordination across business and philanthropy.
The move aligns with the UAE’s long-term development visions, including the ‘We the UAE 2031’ agenda and the ‘Centennial 2071’ plan, which aim to diversify the economy, position the country as a global hub for innovation and finance, and enhance its international influence.
Non-oil sectors contributed approximately 75 per cent of the UAE’s real GDP in the first nine months of 2024, growing by 4.5 per cent year-on-year – a sign of the expanding role of the private sector in the country’s economic landscape.
The UAE also ranked among the top 10 countries in the 2024 World Giving Index, underlining its increasing emphasis on philanthropy and social impact on the global stage.
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