Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Receives Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area

His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, met with His Excellency Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi. During the meeting, the two sides discussed avenues for strengthening investment cooperation, particularly in infrastructure and digital infrastructure.

Both sides commended UAE-Africa relations, noting that they have evolved beyond friendship and cooperation into a model partnership grounded in mutual trust, respect, and shared efforts toward a more prosperous future for our peoples. In this context, they reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening UAE-Africa ties in support of sustainable economic growth, which continues to advance steadily.

They underscored the importance of advancing infrastructure projects to facilitate trade and connectivity across African markets, as well as promoting investment in digital transformation. They also discussed opportunities to strengthen public-private partnerships between the UAE and African countries.

The two sides exchanged views on regional developments, including the serious repercussions of Iran’s unprovoked terrorist attacks targeting the UAE and several countries in the region and beyond, and their impact on regional and international security and stability. They also addressed the implications of Iranian threats to international maritime navigation, energy supplies, and the global economy.