The African Union Commission and the United Arab Emirates reiterated on Tuesday, 6 January, in Addis Ababa, their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two entities, with a focus on promoting peace, stability and sustainable development on the African continent.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a high-level meeting between the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and the UAE Minister of State, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, according to a statement cited by Jornal de Angola.
During the meeting, both sides expressed their intention to deepen cooperation between the African Union Commission and the United Arab Emirates by aligning shared priorities and reinforcing joint actions aimed at consolidating political stability and driving sustainable economic growth in Africa.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the first round of political consultations held in Abu Dhabi on 13 September 2025, within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed in 2019 between the two parties.
The discussions assessed the progress achieved since the inaugural consultations, with delegations exchanging views on sectors considered priority areas for the further strengthening of bilateral cooperation.
Both sides also agreed on the central importance of Agenda 2063, with particular emphasis on the flagship initiative “Silencing the Guns by 2030”, which aims to end armed conflicts in Africa and promote lasting peace, as well as on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), highlighting the link between peace, security, trade and development.
Finally, the officials welcomed the launch of the “Artificial Intelligence for Development” initiative announced by the United Arab Emirates at the G20 Leaders’ Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in November 2025, recognising its potential to support Africa’s development priorities.
Cooperation under the “Mohamed bin Zayed Water” project was also highlighted, aimed at improving water management and access in African communities, with measurable impact across the continent.
