Shakhbut bin Nahyan confirms the UAE’s commitment to a long-term partnership with Africa

2026/02/14 11:40:54 PM

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ABU DHABI, 14th February, 2018 (WAM) – His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, stressed that the success of the “Agenda 2063” launched by the African Union requires partnerships based on long-term commitment and sustainable development, noting that transforming ambitions into tangible achievements requires strategic cooperation that enhances comprehensive growth and economic integration on the continent.

In an opinion article published by the CNBC Africa website, His Excellency explained that with the 39th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union being held in Addis Ababa, attention is focused on transforming the ambitious vision of Agenda 2063 into measurable economic results.

He added that the partnership between the UAE and Africa embodies this approach, as the UAE views Africa as a strategic partner in formulating a more balanced global system, and its people as essential partners in facing common challenges, from food security to climate change.

His Excellency indicated that he made extensive visits last year to a number of African countries, during which he met leaders, entrepreneurs and policy makers interested in achieving practical economic results.

He pointed out that integrating trade, expanding infrastructure, enhancing energy capabilities, and effective management of water resources constitute essential pillars for achieving sustainable and comprehensive growth.

His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan Al Nahyan stressed that Africa is witnessing fundamental transformations that enhance its attractiveness as an economic partner, in light of its having the fastest population growth rate in the world, growing consumer markets, and advanced continental integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which opens the way for a new phase of economic integration and industrial ambition.

He added that the question is no longer about the existence of opportunities, but rather about partners who are ready for long-term investment with clear goals.

His Excellency stressed that the success of partnerships requires linking trade policies with investment in infrastructure, energy development and future growth sectors, through integrated approaches that include all sectors, ensuring a sustainable structural transformation based on coordination frameworks that combine capital, logistics services, energy, water and technology.

His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan explained that this is the approach adopted by the UAE in its cooperation with the African continent, which is based on trust, friendship, credibility, and a shared vision for sustainable progress.

He pointed out that the UAE has become among the most prominent global investors in Africa, as its investments exceeded 110 billion US dollars during the period between 2019 and 2023, including more than 70 billion dollars in the green and renewable energy sectors, reflecting a long-term commitment to flexible and sustainable growth.

He added that trade represents a fundamental pillar of this partnership, as the UAE has concluded 35 comprehensive economic partnership agreements globally, including 10 agreements with major African economies, including areas of cooperation in infrastructure, energy, innovation and investment, in addition to opening service sectors and enhancing access to markets.

His Excellency pointed out that the results of these partnerships are tangible, as trade with Kenya witnessed unprecedented growth, while the newly signed comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Sierra Leone strengthened the path of growing trade exchange, stressing that these agreements expand access to markets and enhance long-term trade partnerships, especially with regulatory harmonization and modernization of logistics services.

He stressed that the African Continental Free Trade Area is a key part of the 2063 agenda to enhance intra-African trade, although it currently does not exceed about 10 percent compared to more than 60 percent in Europe and Asia, explaining that the challenge does not lie in ambition, but rather in the weak interconnection and infrastructure necessary for the efficient movement of goods across borders.

He pointed out that the UAE has given priority to investing in logistics services, especially ports and roads, as the Ndayane Port in Senegal, which is supported by the United Arab Emirates and is worth US$1.2 billion, is the largest private investment in the country’s history, while the Abu Dhabi Ports Group is investing US$380 million in expanding the Luanda terminal in Angola. Emirati soft financing also supports road and irrigation projects in Kenya and Mali following bilateral agreements signed last year, with the aim of strengthening infrastructure, enabling trade and supporting economic flexibility.

His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan Al Nahyan noted that the energy sector represents a crucial focus for supporting economic dynamism in Africa, pointing to the “Union 7” initiative, which aims to provide renewable electricity to 100 million people by 2035, in addition to the African “Masdar” program, which is worth $10 billion to deploy 10 gigawatts of solar and wind energy.

In 2023, the UAE also launched a green investment initiative in Africa worth US$4.5 billion to support more than 50 clean energy projects. The Emirati company Aimea Power developed the Mohammed bin Zayed Solar Park in Togo with a capacity of 50 megawatts, which supplies more than 220,000 homes with energy. In Ethiopia, the Aysha-1 wind power plant agreement, which was signed in 2024, will provide energy of 300. Megawatts for about 4 million families.

His Excellency explained that digital transformation constitutes a key element in Africa’s growth path, pointing to the “Developing Artificial Intelligence in Africa” initiative worth one billion US dollars, which was launched during the G20 summit, to support digital infrastructure, improve government services, enhance productivity and economic modernization.

He added that water security represents a strategic priority, in line with the theme of the African Union for this year on “ensuring the availability of sustainable water and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of the 2036 Agenda,” noting that the UAE is strengthening its cooperation with African countries in this field, and will participate with Senegal in hosting the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, which will be held in Abu Dhabi.

His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan Al Nahyan concluded by emphasizing that Africa’s long-term prospects have become clearer, and that achieving the goals of Agenda 2063 requires sustainable trade integration, strengthening ties between peoples, expanding energy capabilities, developing flexible infrastructure, and preparing for digital transformation.

His Excellency also renewed the UAE’s commitment to continuing to play a long-term role as a reliable development and investment partner for the continent, by aligning investments with national priorities and supporting a shared vision of prosperity, stability and sustainable growth.