The UAE has committed more than $110 billion in investments across Africa since 2019, with much of that targeting renewable energy and logistics infrastructure to support industrial growth and trade integration, an Emirati minister has said.
UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan said on Saturday that the UAE’s engagement with Africa is built on long-standing trade and maritime links. Abu Dhabi is expanding its diplomatic and economic presence across the continent through new embassies, trade agreements and infrastructure projects, he added. These are aimed at supporting Africa’s development priorities and regional integration efforts.
“Between 2019 and 2023, the UAE committed more than $110 billion in investments across Africa – the highest level by any single country during that period,” Sheikh Shakhbout told journalists during the 39th African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“More than $70 billion of that capital has been directed towards energy, green and renewable sectors. This reflects a long-term assessment that energy access is the foundation of industrialisation and economic diversification,” he added.
The UAE is one of Africa’s largest trading partners and investors. Abu Dhabi has concluded nine comprehensive economic partnership agreements with African countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Angola and Kenya.
“These agreements extend beyond tariff reductions to services, digital trade and investment protection,” said Sheikh Shakhbout.
“When you provide jobs, you provide opportunities. When someone has an income or makes money to go and eat, get food for their family, shelter them, this will prevent them from holding guns and going to fight and joining extremist groups and terrorists such as the ones we see in the far east of Africa or far west,” he added.
In November, the UAE said it would invest $1 billion to expand AI infrastructure and AI-enabled services across Africa, with the aim of helping countries meet national development priorities.
Dubai state-owned ports operator DP World is expanding operations across African ports, including a $1 billion upgrade of Dar es Salaam Port in Tanzania. The African nation signed an agreement with DP World in 2023 to operate part of the port for 30 years.
Last year, AD Ports said it would invest $380 million over 20 years to modernise the Luanda multipurpose terminal in Angola.
Humanitarian engagement
Sheikh Shakhbout noted that nearly 40 per cent of the UAE’s foreign assistance over the past decade – about $21 billion – has been directed to African countries.
“We are transforming the way we do humanitarian aid. We try to provide technology. We try to provide learning skills. Our aid also covers education and knowledge transfer,” he said.
Sheikh Shakhbout said the UAE will co-host the 2026 UN Water Conference with Senegal in December.
The African Union summit's theme this year is water sanitation. The summit brings together heads of state and government from the 55 member states over two days. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is attending as a guest of honour. The UAE is an observer member of the African Union.
