ABU DHABI, UAE, October 28th, 2024: The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), the UAE’s premier diplomatic training institution, has joined forces with The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) to launch the UAE-Africa Dialogue. This initiative brings together an influential assembly of experts, scholars, diplomats, legislators, and policymakers to explore ways to enhance relations between the Gulf region, especially the UAE, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The dialogue covers a broad spectrum of topics, including economic, diplomatic, cultural, and security policies.
Taking place at AGDA on October 28th and 29th, the dialogue convenes representatives from leading think tanks and research centers, aiming to develop innovative strategies for fostering cooperation, driving investment, and addressing emerging challenges.
The opening ceremony featured keynote addresses from His Excellency Nickolay Mladenov, Director General of AGDA, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al-Nuaimi, Director General of ECSSR, and His Excellency Ambassador Martin Kimani, Executive Director of New York University’s Center on International Cooperation and Non-Resident Fellow at AGDA.
His Excellency Nickolay Mladenov underscored the significance of engaging in open dialogues centered on mutual interests. He stated, “The economic partnership between the UAE and Africa is not only shaped by geographic proximity and historical connections but also by the shared desire to address pressing issues such as food security, energy transition, and infrastructure development. By hosting the UAE-Africa Dialogue, AGDA reaffirms its commitment to promoting meaningful discussions on economic diplomacy, with a focus on fostering sustainable trade and investment growth, humanitarian assistance, cultural development, and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al-Nuaimi emphasized the UAE’s longstanding commitment to infrastructure development across Africa, spanning sectors like transportation, energy, agriculture, and telecommunications. He remarked, “Our relationship with Africa extends beyond trade and investment. In alignment with the United Nations’ SDGs, we actively contribute to poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability, and humanitarian assistance, addressing urgent needs such as food security, healthcare, and education.”
The two-day event covers a range of critical topics, including “Economic Cooperation between the UAE and Africa,” “Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution, and Security,” “The Role of the UAE and Africa in the UN Security Council,” “Cooperation in Innovative Technologies,” and “Climate Change, Food Security, and the Green Transition.”
AGDA and ECSSR’s initiative paves the way for a stronger UAE-Africa partnership, with discussions on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA), the Ministry of Economy’s UAE-Africa Gateway, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As the fourth-largest foreign direct investor in Africa, after China, the EU, and the USA, the UAE is poised to tap into a unified African market, ushering in a new era of trade and investment opportunities.
