Dubai, UAE — A new private initiative, the Africa-GCC Council, says it will host a dedicated “Africa Pavilion” at the AIM Congress investment forum scheduled for June, billing the space as a gateway for Gulf sovereign funds to meet pre-vetted African projects in energy, water and agriculture. Council co-founder Gonçalo Terenas, a Portugal-based corporate strategist, told a promotional interview published this week that the pavilion is designed to replace fragmented country booths with a single, curated platform offering “deal-making, not marketing”.
The organisers promise ministerial round — tables, closed-door investor rooms and an art auction whose proceeds will seed a youth entrepreneurship fund.
According to social — media posts by executives involved, the council has begun appointing advisers; Ivorian innovation consultant Chrystèle Sanon said on LinkedIn that she joined the board “to connect dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystems”. No African government communiqué or Gulf state news agency has yet referenced the council or confirmed official participation in the pavilion. Background documents circulated by the group show ambitions that extend beyond the expo: a permanent secretariat, sector-specific Africa-GCC investment task-forces, and co-developed funds.
Similar Dubai — based “gateway” ventures launched after 2020 have largely remained boutique match-makers rather than financiers; independent observers note that sustained Africa-Gulf deals have historically required sovereign endorsement and transparent procurement notices, elements so far absent from public view. Terenas and co-founder Dr M’zée Fula-Ngenge, who chairs the African Diamond Council, describe the council as self-funded and “results-oriented”, but have not disclosed capital commitments, registration jurisdiction or audited accounts. Queries sent to AIM Congress organisers seeking confirmation of the pavilion’s place in the official programme had not received a response at publication time.
Regional officials have not commented on the council’s stated role in guiding Gulf capital toward African infrastructure. Further details are expected once AIM Congress releases its final agenda.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 2*
