ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / RankWire.AI / – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on September 29 in Abu Dhabi. Their discussions centered on areas such as trade, investment, renewable energy, and infrastructure collaboration. The leaders also examined ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Zambia. Hichilema’s visit took place weeks after he began his second term as president. This meeting marked the continuation of a series of high-level interactions between the two governments throughout 2026.
Sheikh Mohamed extended congratulations to Hichilema on his new presidential term and touched upon the longstanding relationship between their nations. Both leaders explored avenues to strengthen cooperation in economic development and diversification. They also considered strategies to broaden connections between government agencies and private sector entities. Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Zambia have existed for over fifty years. Recent discussions have increasingly focused on investment, mining, energy, infrastructure, and broader commercial partnerships.
Hichilema’s visit also included participation in the Zambia-UAE Business Forum held in Abu Dhabi. According to Zambia’s State House, attendees signed memoranda of understanding totaling $2.14 billion. These agreements spanned multiple sectors, though officials did not release a detailed project-by-project breakdown. Hichilema also discussed boosting bilateral trade through a comprehensive economic partnership framework. The UAE-Zambia CEPA remains under negotiation, with no official signing date announced during the presidential meeting.
CEPA negotiations continue as part of broader economic cooperation efforts
Both governments described the proposed CEPA as a framework aimed at expanding economic collaboration across both public and private sectors. As of September 30, negotiations had not yet concluded, and neither side had published final tariff schedules or detailed provisions. These trade discussions are part of wider talks covering renewable energy, infrastructure, mining, and investment. Sheikh Mohamed and Hichilema addressed these sectors during their meeting in Abu Dhabi. Earlier this year, officials from both nations had also discussed similar priorities in various exchanges.
In March, UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan met Hichilema in Lusaka. Their talks included trade, investment, mining, and renewable energy. Sheikh Shakhboot later returned to Zambia for Hichilema’s September inauguration and conveyed greetings from the UAE president. These meetings contributed to ongoing government engagement prior to the Abu Dhabi visit. Zambia has been actively seeking investment partnerships with Gulf countries and pursuing new commercial agreements alongside infrastructure development projects.
Mining investments deepen UAE-Zambia economic ties
Mining plays a key role in the UAE’s investment footprint in Zambia. In 2024, Abu Dhabi-based International Resources Holding acquired a 51% stake in Mopani Copper Mines, with ZCCM Investments Holdings retaining the remaining 49%. As of July 2025, International Resources Holding announced it had invested over $1.1 billion in Mopani since gaining control. Mopani’s operations include mining and processing facilities in Zambia’s Copperbelt, notably at Nkana and Mufulira.
The September meeting placed a spotlight on the UAE-Zambia economic partnership, with Sheikh Mohamed and Hichilema discussing trade, infrastructure, renewable energy, and development cooperation alongside ongoing CEPA negotiations. Zambia’s declaration of $2.14 billion in memoranda added a commercial dimension to the visit. As of September 30, the CEPA remained unsigned, with no official timeline for completion, while both governments continued discussions on investment and business collaborations.