How is the United Arab Emirates changing its foreign policy towards Africa? What makes the UAE want to work more with Africa? The UAE has started new diplomatic and economic projects in Africa. This shows a big change in how the UAE sees the world.
Since 2016, the UAE has made eight big agreements with African countries. These deals are about fighting terrorism in places like Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
This new partnership could change the future of both the UAE and Africa.
The UAE is now working more with African countries. This change is because the UAE wants to grow its economy and make new friends. The UAE and Africa are making trade deals and partnerships because of changes in the world and the COVID-19 pandemic.
UAE’s relations with Africa are now about more than just money. They also include helping with security and development. The UAE is making friends with leaders and investing in Africa. This shows the UAE wants to play a big role in Africa’s future.
Strategic Importance of UAE-Africa Relations
The UAE and Africa are getting closer. They are working together for economic growth. This helps both sides grow and work better together.
Economic Diversification and Investment Goals
The UAE and Africa have been partners for ten years. The UAE has put almost $60 billion into Africa. This makes the UAE a big investor, after China, the EU, and the US.
They invest in many areas, like mining and flying. This is good for both sides.
The UAE bought a big part of Zambia’s copper mines. They paid $1.1 billion for it. This shows the UAE wants to help Africa’s rich countries.
Food Security and Resource Access
The UAE wants to make sure it has enough food. They bought land in places like Nigeria and Morocco. This is to feed the UAE’s growing people.
Maritime and Trade Infrastructure Development
The UAE is making Africa’s ports better. DP World is leading this effort. They have big projects in many places.
- A 30-year concession for container handling in the Maghreb (2008)
- Operations at Mozambique’s Maputo port and South Africa’s Komatipoort “dry port”
- A 30-year contract to operate Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port (2023)
These projects help Africa’s economy grow. They also make the UAE’s position stronger. The UAE is focusing on East Africa’s ports.
Current Partnerships and Regional Initiatives
The UAE works with Africa in many areas. This includes the economy, security, and helping people. The UAE has made more investments and partnerships in recent years.
The UAE is focusing on security in Africa. It has set up military bases along the Red Sea. These bases help fight piracy and terrorism, making the area safer.
The UAE is also part of a big group fighting terrorism. This group has 25 African countries. It shows the UAE’s strong commitment to keeping the region safe.
The UAE is helping with education and technology in Africa. For example, Microsoft and the UAE’s Group 42 are working together. They’re using 1GW of geothermal energy in Kenya for digital projects.
The UAE is also giving a lot of aid to Africa. It gave over $600 million to five Sahel countries from 2018-2023. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE helped get vaccines to Africa.
The UAE is also working on economic projects in Africa. Dubai Ports World is helping with port projects in over 10 countries. This helps with trade and building better infrastructure.
- The UAE leads in strategic investments globally, ensuring access to critical infrastructure
- Bilateral trade between the UAE and the US generates over $40 billion annually
- The UAE exports around $26 billion worth of goods to the US
The UAE is working hard to build strong relationships with African countries. It’s doing this in many areas like the economy, security, and helping people.
Conclusion
The UAE and Africa are working together more than ever. The UAE is investing in Africa to help grow the economy. It’s building hospitals and improving ports in places like Chad and Tanzania.
The UAE and Africa are doing more than just building things. They signed a big deal with Kenya in February 2024. This deal helps the UAE find new business partners in East Africa.
But, there are still problems in the UAE-Africa relationship. The UAE has to compete with countries like China and Saudi Arabia. It also has to deal with different rules and values in Africa.
The UAE wants to help Africa grow for a long time. It’s investing in Africa’s energy, like oil and gas. Finding a way to work together well is key for a strong UAE-Africa partnership.
