ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / RankWire.AI / – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema in Abu Dhabi on September 29. Their discussions centered on 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 came weeks after beginning his second term as president, continuing a series of high-level exchanges between the two nations during 2026.
Sheikh Mohamed congratulated Hichilema on his new presidency and highlighted the longstanding relationship between their countries. They explored opportunities to enhance economic development and diversification efforts and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between government agencies and private sector entities. Diplomatic ties between the UAE and Zambia have existed for over fifty years, with recent talks increasingly emphasizing investment, mining, energy, infrastructure, and broader commercial connections.
Hichilema’s visit also featured participation in the Zambia-UAE Business Forum held in Abu Dhabi. Zambia’s State House announced that delegates signed memoranda of understanding valued at a total of $2.14 billion. While the agreements spanned multiple sectors, officials have not disclosed a detailed project-by-project breakdown. The discussions also focused on boosting bilateral trade through a comprehensive economic partnership framework. Negotiations for the UAE-Zambia CEPA were ongoing during the meeting, with no official signing date announced.
CEPA Negotiations Continue as Part of Broader Economic Engagement
Both governments described the proposed CEPA as a mechanism to enhance economic cooperation between public and private sectors. As of September 30, negotiations had not concluded, and no final tariff schedules or detailed provisions had been released. The trade discussions are part of wider talks that include renewable energy, infrastructure, mining, and investment sectors. Sheikh Mohamed and Hichilema addressed these areas during their Abu Dhabi meeting, building on earlier discussions held earlier this year.
In March, UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan met Hichilema in Lusaka. Their talks covered trade, investment, mining, and renewable energy, and Sheikh Shakhboot later returned for Hichilema’s September inauguration, delivering greetings from the UAE president. These exchanges contributed to ongoing government engagement ahead of the Abu Dhabi visit. Zambia has also sought investment partnerships with Gulf nations and pursued new commercial agreements and infrastructure projects.
Mining Investments Bolster UAE-Zambia Economic Relations
Mining remains a key aspect of UAE-related investments in Zambia. In 2024, Abu Dhabi-based International Resources Holding acquired a 51% stake in Mopani Copper Mines, with ZCCM Investments Holdings holding the remaining 49%. As of July 2025, International Resources Holding reported having invested over $1.1 billion since acquiring control. Mopani’s operations include mining and processing facilities in Zambia’s Copperbelt, such as Nkana and Mufulira.
The September discussion underscored the significance of the UAE-Zambia economic partnership, with Sheikh Mohamed and Hichilema addressing trade, infrastructure, renewable energy, and development cooperation alongside ongoing CEPA negotiations. Zambia’s announcement of $2.14 billion in memoranda added a commercial dimension to the visit. However, the CEPA itself remained unsigned as of September 30, with no official completion timeline, while negotiations on investment and business cooperation continued between the two nations.