The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), over the past 40 years, has invested Dh35.3 billion in sustainable development projects across 42 African nations, playing a critical role in aiding their developmental objectives.
In 2023, ADFD was instrumental in a UAE-led initiative valued at Dh16.5 billion ($4.5 billion) to bolster Africa’s clean energy infrastructure, in collaboration with the Africa50 fund. This platform, established by African governments and the African Development Bank, seeks to address Africa’s infrastructure funding gap through project development, finance mobilization, and infrastructure investment on the continent.
Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, ADFD Director-General, reaffirmed the UAE's dedication to promoting economic and social progress in African countries. Over the past decade, ADFD has significantly contributed to infrastructure development, economic diversification, and harnessing the full potential of African economies.
ADFD financed the Mohamed bin Zayed Solar PV Complex in Togo’s Blitta province, with a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) in the initial phase, powering over 158,000 households and SMEs with sustainable electricity. Additionally, in 2022, the Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX) inked a Dh128.5 million agreement with Togo’s Ministry of Economy and Finance to increase the production capacity of the Mohamed bin Zayed Solar Park to 70 megawatts and implement a 4 MW-hour solar energy storage system, improving energy sustainability and climate resilience.
In Sierra Leone, ADFD funded a 6 MW solar power plant in Freetown, enhancing the national electricity grid's stability and meeting energy needs in rural areas. Furthermore, the Nuno-Modogashe Road project in Kenya, financed with Dh37 million, aims to facilitate transportation in northeastern Kenya and connect northern and southern regions, including neighboring countries where 75% of the nation’s livestock resides.
ADFD also supported projects along the Senegal River, covering hydroelectric and irrigation initiatives through a Dh99 million investment in Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and Mauritania. In Seychelles, ADFD financed two renewable energy projects worth Dh64.2 million to increase the country’s renewable energy production on Romainville and Mahé islands. Moreover, in Lesotho, ADFD invested Dh73 million in the Butha-Buthe water network project, providing 9,000 cubic meters of clean water daily until 2045, significantly reducing waterborne diseases.
Lastly, the Gudule General Hospital in South Sudan, funded by a Dh36 million UAE grant, has bolstered the healthcare sector by establishing a 60-bed hospital equipped with modern medical facilities to serve Juba and its environs.