Global charitable giving nears $2.5 trillion a year, UAE envoy says

London: At the Giving and Impact Summit 2026 in London, UAE Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy Badr Jafar said global philanthropic giving is approaching $2.5 trillion a year, and that greater focus is now needed on improving the impact of donations rather than increasing the amount of funding.

Speaking after opening trading at the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Jafar told delegates that philanthropy should be treated with the same discipline and accountability as other forms of capital to achieve long-term social impact.

"The defining challenge is no longer the supply of money, but the discipline with which it is deployed," he said, underscoring the need to improve impact.

Jafar said global charitable giving now represents nearly 3 per cent of global economic output but argued that too much philanthropy remains episodic and is rarely evaluated for its long-term effectiveness, limiting impact.

He described philanthropy as a form of 'first-loss capital' that can help absorb early-stage risks, demonstrate successful models and encourage greater public and private investment.

Drawing on the UAE's experience, Jafar highlighted the Edge of Life campaign launched earlier this year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The campaign raised more than Dh2.8 billion to support efforts to combat child hunger.

Jafar also pointed to artificial intelligence as an emerging area for philanthropic investment, noting that while more than $1 trillion is now flowing into AI globally, less than 1 per cent is directed towards social impact initiatives. He said the UAE has launched a $1 billion initiative to expand access to AI for development projects across Africa.

He called for closer collaboration between the UAE and the UK, proposing that both countries serve as complementary hubs for coordinating strategic philanthropy and cross-border giving.

The summit brought together more than 140 philanthropists, policymakers, foundation leaders, wealth advisers and charity representatives to discuss how to increase the effectiveness of charitable giving.

Discussions focused on encouraging greater philanthropic participation, improving the impact of donations, developing trust-based funding models and exploring how technology, including artificial intelligence, could help scale social impact.

The event featured speakers from the charity, investment and non-profit sectors and was held at the London Stock Exchange.