The town of Boundiali in the north-west of Cote d’Ivoire is a seven-hour drive from the economic capital Abidjan. Located on a large plateau, it is surrounded by extensive plains that are dotted with trees and farmlands, many of them given over to the region’s principal crops of cotton, cassava and rice. This community of less than 50,000 may not, on the surface, appear to be a natural magnet for foreign direct investment but it is the site of the UAE’s latest contribution to West Africa’s economic development.
Last month, I joined Cote d’Ivoire’s Prime Minister Robert Beugre Mambe in Boundiali to inaugurate a state-of-the-art cashew processing facility owned and operated by Pan African Agro Commodities Holding Limited, an entity incorporated in Abu Dhabi Global Market with the aim of expanding the continent’s agricultural sector. Its daily processing capacity of 100 tonnes will increase the production of the nation’s second-most important export product and support more than 4,000 jobs along the value chain – the vast majority outside the main metropolis. Once fully up and running, the project will confirm the UAE’s status as the largest external job creator in the country.
This is emblematic of the UAE’s investment strategy in Africa: from Cairo to Cape Town, Morocco to Mozambique, we are seeking partnerships capable of fostering opportunity, supporting diversification, increasing economic and energy independence and delivering long-term, sustainable growth. This means enhancing the export potential of primary and secondary industries such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing and ensuring the development of tertiary industries such as finance, information and communications technology, logistics and professional services. The UAE is using the longest possible lens to see reciprocal benefits available in Africa.
The UAE is using the longest possible lens to see reciprocal benefits available in Africa
In recent years, the scale of our investments has matched the scope of our ambition. In 2023, the UAE’s total commitment to the continent was $44.5 billion, which was not only the most by any foreign nation but twice the amount of the next highest investor, China – and seven times more than the figure committed by the US. Last year’s investment alone helped create more than 18,000 jobs, with renewable energy and infrastructure among the most prominent sectors.
Indeed, renewable energy is one area in which the UAE is driving the most tangible change. At Cop28 in Dubai in November 2023, Masdar signed projects with six nations as part of a $10 billion commitment to provide 10GW of clean energy in Africa by 2030, which will help provide access to electricity for the nearly 50 per cent of sub-Saharan Africans who currently lack it. They include solar projects in Angola and a collaboration to expand the geothermal energy capacity in Kenya. Just this month, Dubai’s AMEA Power announced an agreement to build, own and operate Aysha Wind 1, a $620 million solar wind farm in Ethiopia that will power more than 4 million households.
Logistics is another priority sector that can unlock Africa’s potential, by enabling the export of key products and adding value with capabilities such as manufacturing, processing and assembly. DP World operates nine ports in Africa, the most recent being a 30-year concession agreement to run and upgrade Dar es Salaam Port in Tanzania. In 2022, the company also bought South Africa’s Imperial Logistics for $890 million, which operates in 26 countries across Africa and Europe. In the same year, AD Ports completed its first international acquisition, buying a controlling stake in Egypt’s Transmar Shipping and Transcargo International Company and enabling it to penetrate the important North Africa and Red Sea regions.
We are also facilitating joint ventures in other vital sectors such as agriculture, including the cultivation of rice and avocados in Angola, real estate in Egypt and South Africa, and education, in particular an initiative to train five million coders in Ethiopia. Emirates airlines flies to 22 African cities and that direct connectivity is crucial to opening up business networks, investments and tourism.
People might see these investments as high risk. We believe it’s entirely the opposite. While there is not “one Africa”, this is very much a continent that is brimming with optimism, where forward-thinking governments are developing the policies and ecosystems that will deliver the opportunities their people crave. This is a continent whose population is set to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, with a growing middle class that will unlock $3 trillion in consumer spending by 2030. Africa has two thirds of the world’s arable land and an abundance of raw materials – copper, lithium and cobalt – that are essential to energy transition objectives. One of the biggest risks for the UAE lies in not investing enough in Africa.
The same conviction is behind the expansion of our Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement programme into Africa. A few weeks ago, we signed a CEPA with the island nation of Mauritius, which will accelerate bilateral, non-oil trade by removing tariffs, enhancing market access to services, aligning customs procedures and creating new pathways for investments and small and medium enterprise collaborations. It follows the agreement of Cepa terms with Congo-Brazzaville and Kenya, which promise productive partnerships in energy, food security and mining.
Importantly, as our trade network expands, these CEPAs will also help businesses across the continent to better connect to global markets, increasing their export potential, driving new capabilities and elevating their competitiveness.
While the world talks about deglobalisation and fragmentation, we believe Africa can be a new hub for growth and innovation. It can not only bridge the major economic blocs across Asia, Europe and North America, but also emerge, thanks to the African Continental Free Trade Area, as a major force in its own right – one that will have a major role in the global economy in the decades ahead.
We see our role as a catalyst – and, ultimately, a champion of that growing influence.
Understand What Black Is
The Last Poets
(Studio Rockers)
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Juventus v Napoli, Sunday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Match on Bein Sports
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
More from Aya Iskandarani
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')
Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')
The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E646hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E830Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwo-speed%20auto%20(rear%20axle)%3B%20single-speed%20auto%20(front)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh552%2C311%3B%20Dh660%2C408%20(as%20tested)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Oppenheimer
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
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Company%C2%A0profile
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
