UAE Deepens Partnerships at APRA Investment Forum to Accelerate Africa’s Renewable Energy Transition
Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, represented the UAE at the opening session and ministerial debate of the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA) Investment Forum, held at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Sierra Leone. The event convened ministers and senior officials to discuss practical strategies for fast-tracking renewable energy deployment and sustainable industrial development across Africa.
The opening session, titled “Boosting Energy Transition and Green Industrialisation in APRA Countries,” spotlighted how partner nations, including the UAE, can bolster collective support and align global engagement with Africa’s sustainable development goals. As a supporting member of APRA, the UAE reaffirmed its dedication to Africa’s energy transition through long-term partnerships, investment cooperation, and knowledge exchange.
Balalaa participated in a moderated dialogue alongside ministerial counterparts from Ghana, Djibouti, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. The agenda focused on creating favourable environments, driving financial innovation, and enhancing regional cooperation to unlock transformative renewable energy projects continent-wide.
Abdulla Balalaa stated, “The UAE remains committed to deepening partnerships that support Africa in achieving its clean energy and industrialisation goals. Together, we can unlock greater investments, empower local communities, and advance shared prosperity.”
Discussions underscored the need to reduce perceived risks and tackle structural barriers to investment, including challenges related to revenue models, infrastructure limitations, and market stability. Balalaa’s intervention reflected the UAE’s prioritization of scalable, locally anchored solutions that propel both energy access and green industrial growth.
The Ministerial Debate inaugurated the forum, grounding subsequent sessions in the real-world policy experiences and development realities of APRA member states. This engagement illustrates the UAE’s commitment to an energy diplomacy that delivers shared value, creates local opportunity, and ensures sustainable impact, reinforcing the nation’s position as a vital bridge linking innovation, investment, and inclusive growth.
The UAE also emphasized its USD4.5 billion Africa Green Investment Initiative (AGII), introduced during its COP28 Presidency. The initiative seeks to unlock Africa’s clean energy potential, catalyse up to 15 GW of new clean power capacity by 2030, and fuel sustainable industrial growth, while mobilizing additional climate finance. Parallel to these investments, the UAE pursues Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) to bolster bilateral trade and investment opportunities across pivotal sectors with African nations.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
