The UAE in Africa

The UAE has become an assertive actor in Africa, engaging in wide-ranging investments, building up trade ties and offering military support to groups fighting in conflict arenas such as Libya and Sudan.

Minister of state for foreign affairs Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Nahyan Al-Nahyan has been a key figure in this outreach, with an active schedule of trips to Africa and meetings with his counterparts when they visit the UAE. This diplomatic activity fits into a wider strategy by the UAE to forge links with the ‘Global South’ .

While Abu Dhabi and Dubai have, as usual, been leading the way, royal family members and business figures from the Northern Emirates have also been involved in deal-making and diplomacy.

GSN has closely followed the diplomacy and the deal-making and will continue to do so.

 

a
Background

The UAE's diplomatic activity with African countries fits into a wider strategy to forge links with the ‘Global South’ – an approach that was much in evidence when Dubai hosted the United Nations’ Cop28 climate change summit in November 2023.

COP28 president Sultan Al-Jaber – who is also Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) chairman and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) chief executive – was a key figure in this. The ability of Al-Jaber and others to create a southern alliance is based in large part on the willingness of UAE entities to finance much-needed infrastructure projects, from ports to renewable energy plants, as well as oil and gas projects and mining schemes.

Subscribe to Gulf States Newsletter

View subscription options

Don't have an account?

Register for access to our free content

An account also allows you to view selected free articles and set up news alerts.

Register