By Ajong Mbapndah L *
A profound economic realignment is reshaping the global order. As traditional alliances recalibrate and global capital seeks new growth horizons, Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are increasingly emerging as natural partners—linked by complementary strengths, shared ambition, and a renewed focus on long-term, purpose-driven development.
At the heart of this transformation stands the Africa-GCC Council, a new institutional platform created to move Africa–Gulf relations beyond episodic engagement toward structured, enduring partnership. Co-founded by Gonçalo Terenas and internationally respected economist and sovereign finance expert Dr. M’zée Fula-Ngenge, the Council brings together decades of leadership across economic diplomacy, global finance, public policy, and sustainable development.
While Dr. Fula-Ngenge anchors the Council’s sovereign finance vision and policy architecture, Gonçalo Terenas leads its global strategic positioning, business intelligence, and cross-border partnership design. For more than two decades, Terenas has operated at the intersection of corporate strategy, diaspora empowerment, and economic statecraft—advising multinational boards, shaping trade frameworks, and designing ecosystems that translate Africa’s demographic advantage and innovation capacity into scalable, bankable opportunity.
The Council’s most ambitious initiative to date is the Africa Pavilion at AIMCongress 2026, which it will host as a unified, deal-making platform in the heart of the Middle East. Far from a traditional exhibition, the Pavilion is conceived as a strategic gateway—aligning Africa’s high-growth sectors with GCC sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and long-term diversification strategies.
In this in-depth interview, Gonçalo Terenas explains why the Africa-GCC Council was created at this pivotal moment, how it delivers outcomes beyond conventional networking, and why the Africa Pavilion represents a turning point in Africa–Gulf economic relations.
What is the Africa-GCC Council, and why is its role increasingly important as Gulf–Africa economic engagement accelerates?
The Africa-GCC Council is the institutionalized response to what I would describe as one of the defining economic realignments of our era—the accelerated and irreversible integration between Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
As traditional geopolitical alliances shift and global supply chains are reconfigured, Africa and the GCC have emerged as pillars of the new global economy. Africa is the world’s next frontier, not only because of its vast natural resources, but because of its youthful population, expanding consumer markets, and rapidly growing innovation ecosystems. At the same time, the GCC represents a concentration of strategic capital actively seeking diversification beyond hydrocarbons, aligned with long-term national visions.
Our role is to act as the essential, permanent bridge between these two regions. We are not a temporary initiative or a convening platform that appears once a year. We are architecting the socioeconomic connection that transforms geopolitical alignment into tangible, sustainable, and mutually beneficial prosperity.
The Council itself is the product of a distinguished assembly of senior, battle-tested global experts. With decades of collective experience across international finance, sustainable development, and geopolitical strategy, we brought a rare, world-class perspective to a simple but necessary internal inquiry: Why this hub, and why now?
The answer rests on three pillars. First, global momentum—Africa and the GCC are natural partners in trade, technology, energy transition, and culture. Second, a new business ethos—future competitiveness belongs to those who integrate profitability with purposeful mission and inclusive stakeholder dialogue. Third, the need for a living ecosystem—not a think tank or event series, but a permanent engine for connection, powered by technology and driven by human ambition.
What have been the Council’s most significant achievements so far in advancing Africa–GCC trade, investment, and strategic partnerships?
Our foundational achievement has been the successful establishment of the Africa-GCC Council itself as a trusted, dynamic ecosystem grounded in a new partnership paradigm.
From the outset, we made a deliberate decision to move beyond conventional, transactional approaches. Instead, we have prioritized empathy-driven partnerships and a human-centered approach to growth. This may sound abstract, but it is in fact very practical. Sustainable trade and investment cannot exist without trust, shared understanding, and aligned values.
Our most significant work to date has therefore focused on building what I call the “soft infrastructure” of trust—the relational capital and mutual credibility that form the invisible foundation for all lasting economic engagement. This work happens quietly, behind the scenes, but it is essential.
These foundations have enabled us to advance toward our flagship action: curating and hosting the Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress 2026. This initiative reflects our collective mandate as Co-Founders—together with Dr. M’zée Fula-Ngenge—to move beyond conventional partnerships and forge an unprecedented alliance between Africa and the GCC.
Our commitment is clear: to empower Africa and help craft a future defined not by dependency, but by innovation, agency, and shared destiny.
How does the Council move beyond traditional networking to deliver concrete outcomes for African governments, businesses, and GCC investors?
We are very intentional about avoiding what I call “conference fatigue”—events that generate conversation but little consequence. The Africa-GCC Council operates on a strict “walk-the-talk” form factor.
Every engagement we design is outcome-driven. We leverage decades of experience in corporate strategy, economic diplomacy, and diaspora empowerment to ensure that dialogue translates into action. That means structuring engagements around defined objectives, pre-vetted stakeholders, and clear accountability.
Our methodology includes curated deal-making, strategic advisory support, and ongoing relationship maintenance. We do not disappear once an event ends. Instead, we focus on continuity—ensuring that partnerships mature, projects advance, and trust deepens over time.
The Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress is a major initiative. What inspired the Council to host it, and what core objectives does it seek to achieve?
The Africa Pavilion was inspired by a critical realization: Africa has been present at global investment forums for decades, yet often in fragmented, uncoordinated ways. This fragmentation dilutes impact and weakens Africa’s negotiating position.
Our objective is to reposition Africa as a cohesive, investment-ready bloc. We want the Pavilion to become “The Voice of Africa in the Heart of the Middle East.”
At its core, the Pavilion aims to unify Africa’s narrative, transform visibility into structured deal flow, and channel the GCC’s transformative capital into building Africa’s productive capacities. This is not about promotion—it is about precision. Precision in sectors, in partnerships, and in outcomes.
Central to this vision is our “love brand” philosophy. Moving beyond transactional engagement, the Pavilion is designed to foster genuine, empathy-driven partnerships. By embedding cultural understanding and human connection into its architecture, the Pavilion becomes a trusted, indispensable platform—one that stakeholders actively seek out because it delivers both economic and relational value.
What will the Africa Pavilion comprise in practical terms—sectors, programming, delegations, and engagement formats?
First, our mission is clear: to empower, streamline, and elevate Africa’s participation, ensuring that every African nation and stakeholder present achieves maximum visibility, deal flow, and long-term partnership potential.
The Pavilion is a comprehensive ecosystem.
From a sectoral perspective, the program focuses on high-growth areas such as infrastructure, fintech, energy, agribusiness, hospitality, and tourism. The agenda includes more than ten Special Sessions, each dedicated to a pivotal theme shaping Africa’s future.
These range from women’s leadership and the rise of African family offices, to AI literacy, water security, drone logistics, healthcare innovation, ESG integration, media, and the role of arts and culture as Africa’s definitive global footprint.
In terms of participation, we are assembling a first-of-its-kind unified African delegation, alongside GCC sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and global strategic partners.
Engagement formats are intentionally diverse—ministerial roundtables, pitch competitions, curated B2B and G2B meetings, and closed-door deal rooms. Importantly, we are also integrating human-centric spaces such as a permanent Art Lounge themed “Crossing Sands & Savannas”, culminating in an Africa-GCC Art Auction that will support a youth entrepreneurship fund.
How is this Pavilion different from a conventional exhibition space?
This Pavilion is not a showcase—it is a strategically curated platform. It is engineered around four core principles.
First, action-oriented programming, where every session is tied to concrete deliverables such as MOUs or investment commitments. Second, bridge-building architecture, ensuring balanced African and GCC voices to create permanent linkages. Third, an elite task-force methodology, facilitating pre-vetted, closed-door problem-solving with defined outcomes. And fourth, human-centered integration, using culture and the arts to build the trust that underpins durable economic partnerships.
In essence, the Pavilion functions as an investment matchmaking engine, a policy alignment forum, and a cultural bridge—simultaneously.
What tangible value can African countries, companies, and institutions expect from participating?
African participants gain a unified, high-impact platform that amplifies their narrative and avoids fragmentation. They gain direct access to GCC sovereign funds, private capital, and institutional investors through curated matchmaking.
They also benefit from facilitated strategic partnerships aligned with long-term development goals, supported by elite advocacy from a cross-continental task force of senior experts. Participation is not simply about exposure—it is about positioning for sustained growth.
From the perspective of GCC investors, why should the Africa Pavilion be viewed as a credible gateway to Africa?
For GCC investors, the Pavilion represents a curated, de-risked gateway. Opportunities are pre-vetted, supported by market intelligence, and aligned with Gulf diversification priorities.
By consolidating Africa’s most credible, investment-ready opportunities under one roof, the Pavilion translates Africa’s demographic dividend and growth sectors into a clear, bankable investment thesis—offering GCC capital a genuine first-mover advantage.
Looking beyond AIM Congress, how does this initiative fit into the Council’s long-term vision?
The Pavilion is a powerful annual accelerator, but the Africa-GCC Council is the permanent architecture. Operating through hubs across Africa and the Gulf, we are building the continuous framework for integration.
The 2026 Pavilion serves as a pilot for deeper institutional mechanisms—Africa-GCC investment task forces, co-developed sector funds, and high-level advisory platforms. Our mission is to institutionalize cooperation and transform alignment into engineered, mutual prosperity for generations to come.
A brief profile of the two Co-Founders and “architects” of the concept and cross continental Africa – GCC Council :
Dr. M’Zée Fula Ngenge
Economist & Investment Strategist | Mining & Diamond Authority | Public Policy Architect.
M’zée is a world-class business leader and Pan-African thought leader. As a fearless reformist and forward-thinking strategist, he champions sustainable development, conservation, and tourism, and across the continent. His versatile leadership is further demonstrated as Chairman of the African Development Foundation (ADF) and the African Diamond Council (ADC), where he advocates for a fair-minded and impactful future for the industry..
Gonçalo Terenas
Global Strategist | Business Intelligence Architect | Corporate & Economic Diplomacy.
With a proven track record of driving impact corporate and business platforms having 20+ years of experience , Gonçalo orchestrate growth at scale, whether building strategic relationships, advising multinational boards, or shaping economic diplomacy. Shareholder & Head of Corporate at Tuga Innovations Inc. Executive Board at International Network – Portuguese Chambers of Commerce. Founder of DPP – Diaspora Prime Council. Vice-President of Kosovo-Portugal Chamber of Commerce. International & Corporate Speaker.
*Culled from Feb edition of PAV Magazine
