Key Takeaways
- IHC has signed a strategic framework agreement with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
- The collaboration aims to mobilize private-sector investment across priority sectors and high-growth markets.
- Focus areas include food security, advanced agriculture, energy, infrastructure, logistics, and critical minerals.
- A joint committee will support co-investment identification, underwriting, and execution.
- The agreement strengthens economic ties between the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
IHC and DFC Formalize Strategic Investment Collaboration
IHC, a global investment company focused on building interconnected value networks, has announced a strategic framework agreement with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The agreement is designed to support the mobilization of transformational private-sector investment across sectors and regions of shared strategic interest.
The framework was signed in Abu Dhabi by Syed Basar Shueb, Chief Executive Officer of IHC, and Ben Black, Chief Executive Officer of DFC, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of IHC. The collaboration reflects a broader effort to strengthen investment flows between the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Investment Focus Across Priority Sectors and Markets
Under the agreement, IHC and DFC will jointly identify, evaluate, and execute investments across a range of priority sectors. These include food security and advanced agriculture, energy and infrastructure, logistics and maritime operations, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, information and communications technology, data-center connectivity, and critical minerals and mining.
The collaboration will target projects in emerging and frontier markets, including those aligned with major global trade and connectivity corridors. According to the organizations, the framework is intended to support investments that combine long-term commercial returns with broader strategic and developmental outcomes.
Joint Governance and Capital Deployment
The framework establishes a senior-level joint committee to support close coordination between IHC and DFC. This structure is intended to accelerate transaction execution and enable capital deployment at scale, while aligning investment decision-making with shared strategic priorities.
IHC stated that the agreement brings together its global investment platform and operational capabilities with DFC’s expanded balance sheet and mandate as the U.S. government’s international investment arm. The collaboration is designed to strengthen resilient supply chains and promote high-standard investment practices across regions.
IHC & DFC Leadership Perspectives on Strategic Alignment
Syed Basar Shueb, Chief Executive Officer of IHC, said the framework represents an alignment of capital and expertise to deliver investments across critical industries. He noted that the partnership aims to unlock long-term value, reinforce supply chain resilience, and support sustainable economic growth in key markets.
Ben Black, Chief Executive Officer of DFC, said the collaboration deepens the U.S.–UAE economic relationship and supports investments that expand economic opportunity while advancing shared strategic objectives. He added that the framework is structured to deliver strong returns while promoting high investment standards.
IHC and DFC stated that, through this agreement, they will pursue opportunities that generate measurable economic impact, support innovation, and contribute to long-term development and security objectives across partner economies.
