The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) invested AED562 million across six strategic projects during 2025, supporting healthcare, education, food security and economic development initiatives designed to improve essential services and create long-term economic opportunities across Asia.
The investments, which span India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Uzbekistan, form part of ADFD’s 2030 Strategy and are expected to provide healthcare services to more than two million people annually, deliver education for over 34,000 students, and support the creation of more than 10,000 jobs.
The portfolio reflects a growing emphasis on targeted investments that combine social impact with economic development by strengthening critical infrastructure and supporting private sector growth.
H.E. Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, said the projects demonstrate the Fund’s approach to financing sustainable development.
“These projects reflect the Fund’s approach to deploying capital towards high-impact, sustainable development projects. They are designed to strengthen economic resilience in partner countries and advance shared prosperity objectives.”
He added that the Fund continues to prioritise investments in sectors that improve social wellbeing while creating long-term value for communities.
Healthcare dominates investment programme
Healthcare accounted for the largest share of ADFD’s investment activity during the year.
In Vietnam, the Fund invested in SIS Hospital, a specialist provider of stroke and cardiovascular care serving a catchment population of around 17 million people across the Mekong Delta and neighbouring regions. The hospital has expanded access to specialist treatment while providing financial assistance to more than 1,300 low-income patients.
ADFD also backed Tam Tri Medical, one of Vietnam’s largest private healthcare providers, whose network of seven hospitals treated more than one million patients during 2025, focusing on underserved communities and helping ease pressure on public health services.
Supporting education and food security
The investment programme also includes funding for Phase Education, a regional K-12 education provider operating 31 campuses across Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, supporting educational opportunities for more than 34,000 students.
In Uzbekistan, ADFD invested through its Abu Dhabi Uzbek Investment Company (ADUI) in Korzinka, the country’s largest food retail chain.
The investment supports the expansion of modern food distribution infrastructure, including one of Central Asia’s largest logistics and distribution facilities, aimed at improving food supply chains while supporting agricultural development and future employment growth.
Korzinka currently employs more than 10,000 people and continues to expand its operations across the country.
Project management perspective
Although presented as a portfolio of development investments, the announcement highlights the growing importance of programme management in delivering international development objectives.
Rather than funding isolated projects, ADFD is investing across interconnected sectors that reinforce one another. Healthcare facilities, education platforms and food distribution networks each deliver direct benefits, but together they contribute to broader economic resilience, workforce development and social stability.
Managing such a geographically diverse investment portfolio requires strong governance, benefits realisation and performance monitoring to ensure individual projects contribute to wider strategic outcomes. Success will be measured not only by the completion of facilities or expansion of services, but by longer-term indicators such as improved healthcare access, employment generation and economic diversification.
The approach also reflects an increasing shift among development finance institutions towards measurable impact. By linking investments to clear outcomes, including patient numbers, student enrolment and job creation, organisations are placing greater emphasis on demonstrating how project delivery translates into lasting economic and social value.
