In this interview with OKECHUKWU NNODIM, the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, discusses the impact of tensions in the Middle East on UAE-Africa trade relations, supply chains, investment flows and investor confidence.
Have the ongoing tensions dampened UAE-Africa trade relations in any way? If yes, what is being done to address them? If no, how was this achieved and how do you plan to sustain it?
It is a challenging time for global trade, and one that underlines the centrality of the Arabian Gulf to the world economy. The UAE has, in collaboration with our GCC neighbours, mobilised a range of alternative land, sea and air corridors to overcome disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and ensure our market remains fully connected to global supply chains, including our longstanding and highly valued trade with Africa.
Although the full impact on UAE-Africa trade flows is still being assessed, rapid action across the GCC has helped maintain supply chain continuity and minimise disruptions to trade and investment flows.
Talk us through the measures adopted by the UAE government to ensure supply chain stability and continuity of trade flows between Abu Dhabi and Africa.
Supply chain resilience is built through infrastructure, not aspiration. As soon as the Strait was disrupted, the UAE activated a number of contingency measures, including agreements with our GCC neighbours to utilise regional transport infrastructure and customs processes to keep trade flowing into and out of the UAE.
This included expanded use of air freight, as well as our east coast ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, which are connected to the wider GCC through Etihad Rail’s 900-kilometre freight network.
Amid the tensions, have there been new investments by the UAE government or investors in African markets, or have the tensions temporarily stalled investments?
Investment remains robust. Between 2019 and 2024, the UAE invested $110bn across Africa, making it the continent’s largest source of new foreign direct investment.
In Nigeria, for instance, First Abu Dhabi Bank fully underwrote $1.2bn in financing for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, while DP World and PepsiCo opened a $20m manufacturing facility in Lagos in 2025.
The UAE-Africa Gateway initiative, launched in 2025, and the Investopia Africa platform, inaugurated in Nigeria in early 2026, are further deepening business-to-business engagement. We have not paused these commitments and have no plans to do so.
How have inter-governmental relations between the UAE and its African partners evolved since the start of the Middle East crisis?
Inter-governmental relations have strengthened. The current crisis has global significance, and there has been ongoing dialogue to ensure trade routes remain open and key markets remain accessible.
The UAE’s approach has always been to build partnerships based on mutual economic interest. Our non-oil trade with Africa continues to grow year after year, and the institutional frameworks we are building through trade agreements, chamber offices and business councils ensure these relationships have permanence beyond any single geopolitical cycle.
Many African economies depend on energy, food and trade routes linked to the Strait of Hormuz. How do you assess the impact of the closure of the Strait on African economies? And will you participate in an international mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz?
Our position has been clear at every level of government. The Strait of Hormuz is not owned by any single country. It is a natural passage governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and its weaponisation cannot stand.
Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab stated at the United Nations that no country should have the power to shut down the arteries of global commerce. H.E. Dr Anwar Gargash has stressed that any settlement must guarantee free passage. This is a global economic imperative, not a regional bargaining chip.
We have invested heavily in diversified logistics infrastructure, including east coast ports and overland corridors, to ensure trade flows continue.
The UAE has positioned itself as a global hub for trade, finance and connectivity. How has the current conflict affected investor confidence and economic stability so far?
The UAE’s economic fundamentals remain exceptionally strong. In 2025, non-oil foreign trade reached a record $1.03tn, representing a 26 per cent year-on-year increase. The UAE continues to attract record levels of foreign direct investment, and our financial system remains among the most well-regulated in the world.
Our strategy is to ensure the UAE remains the most attractive, stable and well-connected platform for international trade and investment. The data confirms we are succeeding.