UAE and Angola share a vision for sustainable development and a thriving Africa

President Sheikh Mohamed and President Joao Manuel Lourenco of Angola during Sheikh Mohamed's state visit to the country on August 25. Abdulla Al Bedwawi / UAE Presidential Court

Recently, President Sheikh Mohamed made the first-ever visit by a UAE head of state to Angola. Welcomed in the capital Luanda by Angolan President Joao Manuel Lourenço, the visit symbolised the strengthening friendship between our peoples. It exemplified a model of partnership across the African continent, united by shared aspirations for prosperity, stability and sustainable development, and marks a period of unprecedented closeness between the two countries.

Over the past decade, the UAE and Angola have deepened their relationship significantly. Together they have signed 60 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding, covering sectors including AI, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, agriculture, logistics, health care and education. These projects, worth a total of $6 billion, reflect a joint commitment to economic diversification, employment generation and expanded trade, serving as an example of mutually beneficial co-operation. A cornerstone of this partnership is the anticipated Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa). To date, Cepas already signed with Kenya, Mauritius, the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic have enhanced economic competitiveness, increased capital inflows and boosted bilateral trade. For Angola, this framework would enable its rapidly developing economy to further integrate into global and regional value chains and lay the foundation for sustained economic growth.

Prominent UAE companies – including Masdar, DP World, AD Ports Group, EDGE Group and G42 – are investing across a wide spectrum of the Angolan economy – ranging from renewable energy and maritime infrastructure to real estate and advanced technology. UAE investors, recognising Angola’s strong growth potential, are making targeted investments that create jobs, transfer skills, build capacity and contribute to community development.

President Sheikh Mohamed in Angola for state visit

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The visit comes at an opportune moment. With Angola’s President chairing the African Union (AU), Angola stands at the forefront in driving regional initiatives on infrastructure, energy, economic integration and peace and security – areas where UAE-Angola relations can have a significant impact. Internationally, Angola is asserting its role as a global voice for Africa, strengthening Africa’s role on the global stage through the G20, Cop, Brics and other priority forums.

The UAE’s commitment extends beyond Angola to the African continent more broadly, highlighting its role as a reliable partner in driving long-term growth. For more than five decades, the UAE has been committed to its partnerships across the continent, working side by side with African nations to promote prosperity, build stability and accelerate progress in strategic sectors that power national development goals.

This co-operation is fortified by Angola's leadership role in the AU. The UAE recognises the value of African-led solutions and reiterates its support for Angola in advancing continental agendas, emphasising the need for locally owned and inclusive development.

Angola also plays a vital role in the UAE’s vision of connecting Africa to the Middle East and Asia through investment and trade networks, complementing ongoing UAE partnerships. Moreover, Angola provides opportunities to enhance economic relations through significant investments across priority fields, while also creating prospects for growth in other areas, particularly food security and agriculture.

As Angola’s first president, Agostinho Neto, famously said: 'It’s not a question of survival. It’s a question of trust. We must develop our continent without fear, for the future grows in us.'

Looking ahead, co-operation will focus on sectors with lasting impact, including renewables, strategic industries and other high potential areas. Notably, Masdar is developing a 150-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant in Quipungo to supply electricity to around 90,000 homes, while reducing approximately 224,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually – one element of a wider $2 billion investment in renewables nationwide. In parallel, DP World and AD Ports Group are investing significantly in Angola’s maritime infrastructure.

Together, the two nations are forging an outcome-oriented, inclusive and forward-looking partnership, driven by economic opportunity, social progress and regional stability, in support of the AU and other regional bodies’ solutions and strategies to achieve peace and prosperity in the region, including Africa 2063.

As Angola’s first president, Agostinho Neto, famously said: “It’s not a question of survival. It’s a question of trust. We must develop our continent without fear, for the future grows in us.”

This vision reflects the spirit of the UAE’s and Angola’s partnership. Through investment, development and local empowerment, both nations show how trust and co-operation can transform a shared vision into tangible results for Africa’s people, economies and communities.