The Head of State and the President of Gabon discuss enhancing cooperation on development priorities

Yesterday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, and President of the Republic of Gabon, Brice Olgue Nguema, discussed cooperation relations, especially in the fields of development, economic, investment, renewable energy, food security, infrastructure, and other fields that serve the comprehensive and sustainable development priorities of the two countries.

This came while His Highness received – at the Beach Palace in Abu Dhabi – the Gabonese President, who is on a working visit to the country, hoping that the visit will constitute qualitative support for the path of development of relations between the two countries.

His Highness and the President of Gabon also reviewed a number of regional and international issues and topics of concern to the two countries, and exchanged views on them, stressing the importance of working to consolidate the foundations of peace and stability in the region and the world, which constitutes the basic basis for achieving development and progress in societies.

During the meeting, His Highness the President stressed the UAE’s interest in continuing to expand the base of its development partnerships with the African continent and building on the historical relations it has with its countries, based on the country’s strategic approach based on constructive cooperation to achieve sustainable growth and mutual prosperity that guarantees a better future for all.

During the meeting, the two sides stressed their mutual keenness to advance Emirati-Gabonese relations, which extend for more than five decades, and to invest in all available opportunities to strengthen them, especially in areas that constitute development priorities in the two countries, noting that economic cooperation constitutes a basic pillar of these relations.

His Highness the President said, in a blog post on the “X” platform, yesterday: “Today in Abu Dhabi and His Excellency President Brice Cloutier Oligwe Nguema witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Gabon, which represents an important milestone in the path of economic and investment relations between the two countries and reflects the UAE’s consistent approach in building development partnerships with the countries of the African continent for the sake of common prosperity, expanding areas of opportunities for future generations, and achieving the aspirations of its people and the peoples of the continent towards progress and development.”

The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office for Special Affairs, and a number of sheikhs, ministers and senior state officials.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the Republic of Gabon, witnessed the signing ceremony of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Gabon, which aims to advance bilateral trade and investment relations to new heights of growth and prosperity.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Gabon represents an important milestone in the path of bilateral relations between the two countries, noting that it embodies the UAE’s approach to continuing to build sustainable development partnerships that contribute to achieving the common interests of the peoples and creating new opportunities for future generations.

His Highness pointed out that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements Program continues to expand the network of the UAE’s trade partners around the world, based on the country’s awareness that constructive international cooperation is the path to achieving sustainable development, which is reflected in enhancing the quality of life of communities.

The agreement was signed – during the ceremony that took place at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi – by the Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and the Minister of Economy, Finance, Debt and Investment of Gabon, Thierry Menkou.

The agreement aims to enhance bilateral trade flows, expand areas of cooperation between the government and private sectors, and create a platform for building partnerships between the private sector and business communities on both sides, in addition to facilitating investments in a number of vital sectors, including agriculture, logistics services, and renewable energy.

The agreement will contribute to reducing customs duties, removing barriers to trade, and facilitating investment flows, in addition to enhancing cooperation between private sector companies, especially small and medium enterprises, in a way that supports sustainable development and achieves joint economic growth in the long term.

The UAE is an important trading partner of the Republic of Gabon in the Arab region, as the volume of non-oil trade between the two countries in 2025 reached about 320.7 million US dollars, that is, more than double the value of trade exchange recorded in 2021.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Gabon is in line with the UAE’s efforts to expand its trade and investment relations in the African continent, and to benefit from the promising opportunities provided by the continent to achieve sustainable economic growth and diversification.

The volume of non-oil trade between the UAE and African countries combined during the year 2024 reached about 112 billion US dollars, recording a growth of 34% compared to the previous year, while the country is the largest source of new foreign direct investment in Africa, with total investments exceeding 110 billion US dollars since 2019.

His Highness the Head of State and the President of Gabon also witnessed the announcement of a number of memorandums of understanding regarding cooperation in defense fields, the establishment of a joint Emirati-Gabonese business council, and cooperation between the General Women’s Union and the Ministry of Social Affairs in Gabon regarding the women’s empowerment program.