Building Bridges Across Oceans: The UAE-Seychelles Partnership for Sustainability and Resilience

By Rula Gabr

Cover Image Attribute: The 3D-rendered image of the flags of Seychelles and the UAE

In an era defined by global uncertainties—climate change, economic realignment, and geopolitical flux—the burgeoning partnership between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Seychelles offers a compelling narrative of mutual benefit and forward-thinking collaboration. These two nations, one a powerhouse of innovation and wealth in the Gulf, the other a pristine archipelago in the Indian Ocean, might seem worlds apart at first glance. Yet, their deepening ties reveal a shared vision: leveraging strategic investments and cooperation to build resilience, sustainability, and prosperity. As of early 2025, this relationship stands as a testament to how small states and global players can align their strengths to address modern challenges, from renewable energy to disaster recovery.

A Foundation of Friendship

The UAE and Seychelles have cultivated a relationship rooted in mutual respect and pragmatic ambition. While their diplomatic ties stretch back decades, the past few years have seen an acceleration in engagement, driven by high-level visits and tangible commitments. In January 2025, during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The outcome was emblematic of their bond: a $1 million UAE donation to Seychelles’ 7th December Disaster Fund—bringing the total contribution to $2 million—coupled with a pledge of medical equipment to bolster the island nation’s healthcare system. This gesture, coming on the heels of a devastating natural disaster in Seychelles, underscores the UAE’s role as a reliable partner in times of need.
This isn’t a one-off act of goodwill. The UAE has consistently supported Seychelles’ socio-economic development, with investments spanning housing, renewable energy, and infrastructure. Projects like the Orchid Housing Estate on Mahé and the wind turbines on Île du Port, funded through grants from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, illustrate a pattern of cooperation that prioritizes practical outcomes. These initiatives reflect a broader trend in UAE foreign policy: using economic leverage to foster stability and growth in strategically important regions, particularly in Africa and the Indian Ocean.
For Seychelles, a nation of just over 100,000 people spread across 115 islands, the UAE’s involvement offers a lifeline to amplify its modest resources. With a GDP heavily reliant on tourism and fisheries, Seychelles faces the dual challenge of economic diversification and climate vulnerability. The UAE, with its vast wealth, technological expertise, and global trade networks, brings scale and sophistication to the table, enabling Seychelles to punch above its weight.

Renewable Energy: A Shared Priority

One of the most striking areas of collaboration is renewable energy, a domain where the UAE’s expertise meets Seychelles’ urgent needs. The UAE, despite its oil-rich heritage, has positioned itself as a global leader in clean energy through initiatives like Masdar, its renewable energy company. Seychelles, meanwhile, is acutely aware of its exposure to rising sea levels and fossil fuel dependency—over 90% of its energy comes from imported diesel, a costly and unsustainable model for an island nation.
The Port Victoria Wind Power Project, a 6 MW wind farm developed by Masdar on Mahé, exemplifies this synergy. Operational since 2013, it supplies over 8% of the island’s electricity, reducing carbon emissions and easing the burden of fuel imports. During a visit in early 2025, UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan toured the facility, reaffirming Abu Dhabi’s commitment to expanding such projects. This isn’t just about energy—it’s about sovereignty. By cutting reliance on external fuel markets, Seychelles gains greater control over its economic destiny, a goal the UAE supports as part of its broader strategy to promote sustainable development globally.
The UAE’s investment in Seychelles’ energy sector aligns with its own ambitions. Hosting the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and leading COP28 in 2023, the UAE has staked its reputation on transitioning to a green economy. Supporting Seychelles—a small but symbolically significant player—enhances this narrative, showcasing the UAE’s ability to export its clean energy model to vulnerable nations. For Seychelles, the partnership offers a blueprint for a low-carbon future, potentially attracting further investment from other sustainability-focused players.

Disaster Resilience and Humanitarian Support

The UAE’s rapid response to Seychelles’ natural disasters highlights another pillar of their cooperation: resilience-building. The 7th December Disaster Fund, established after a catastrophic explosion and flooding in 2023, received a significant boost from the UAE’s contributions. This aid, paired with medical supplies pledged in 2025, addresses immediate needs while strengthening Seychelles’ long-term capacity to withstand shocks—an existential priority for a nation on the frontlines of climate change.
This humanitarian dimension reflects the UAE’s broader geoeconomic strategy in Africa and beyond. By stepping in where traditional powers like the US or EU might hesitate, the UAE positions itself as an agile, dependable partner. For Seychelles, the UAE’s support is a pragmatic alternative to the often slow-moving aid mechanisms of multilateral institutions. President Ramkalawan’s gratitude—“a testament to the strong bonds of friendship and mutual respect”—signals a relationship built on trust, not just transactions.

Economic Diversification and Trade

Beyond energy and aid, the UAE-Seychelles partnership is laying the groundwork for economic diversification. Seychelles’ tourism sector, while vibrant, is vulnerable to global downturns and environmental degradation. The UAE, with its expertise in logistics, real estate, and high-value industries, offers a model for broadening Seychelles’ economic base. The Orchid Housing Estate, for instance, not only addresses housing shortages but also stimulates construction and local employment, ripple effects that echo the UAE’s own development playbook.
Trade ties are also ripening. The UAE’s status as a global trade hub—home to ports like Jebel Ali and companies like DP World—could open new markets for Seychelles’ fisheries and niche exports. In return, Seychelles provides the UAE with a strategic foothold in the Indian Ocean, a region of growing importance amid shifting trade routes and maritime security concerns. While bilateral trade volumes remain modest, the potential for growth is evident, especially as the UAE deepens its economic engagement with Africa, where it invested over $97 billion in 2022-2023 alone.

Geopolitical Context: A Strategic Alliance

The UAE-Seychelles partnership cannot be divorced from its geopolitical backdrop. The Indian Ocean is increasingly a theater of competition, with powers like China, India, and the US vying for influence. Seychelles, with its strategic location astride key shipping lanes, is a small but pivotal player. For the UAE, bolstering ties with Seychelles enhances its maritime and economic reach, complementing its investments in African ports and logistics networks.
This isn’t about military posturing—neither nation has the appetite for that. Instead, it’s a soft power play. The UAE’s investments in Seychelles signal its intent to be a stabilizing force in a region prone to instability, from piracy to climate-driven disruptions. Seychelles, in turn, gains a powerful ally whose global clout can amplify its voice on issues like ocean conservation and climate justice—priorities it shares with the UAE.

Challenges and Opportunities

No partnership is without hurdles. For Seychelles, the risk of over-reliance on the UAE looms large. While the investments are welcome, they must be balanced with efforts to maintain economic sovereignty and avoid debt traps, a lesson from other nations’ experiences with foreign benefactors. Transparency in project financing and local capacity-building will be key to ensuring these initiatives benefit Seychellois communities, not just UAE interests.
For the UAE, the challenge lies in sustaining momentum. Its ambitious outreach—spanning Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean—requires careful resource allocation. Seychelles, though small, demands tailored solutions, not one-size-fits-all approaches. Scaling up projects like wind farms or housing estates will test the UAE’s ability to adapt its expertise to a unique island context.
Yet the opportunities outweigh the risks. Climate change, a shared threat, could deepen their collaboration. Joint ventures in solar power, desalination, or coastal protection could position UAE-Seychelles ties as a model for small state-Gulf partnerships. Tourism, too, holds untapped potential—imagine UAE-backed luxury resorts in Seychelles paired with Emirati marketing prowess, drawing high-end visitors from the Gulf and beyond.

A Vision for the Future

As we stand in early 2025, the UAE-Seychelles relationship is a microcosm of what global cooperation can achieve when ambition meets necessity. The UAE brings capital, technology, and vision; Seychelles offers strategic geography, environmental urgency, and a willing partner. Together, they are crafting a narrative of resilience and growth that defies their differences in size and stature.
This partnership isn’t just about today—it’s about tomorrow. For Seychelles, UAE investments could pave the way to a diversified, sustainable economy, less tethered to the whims of tourism or the ravages of climate change. For the UAE, Seychelles is a proving ground for its role as a global leader in sustainable development, a reputation it seeks to cement beyond its oil-rich borders.
In a world often divided by rivalry and mistrust, the UAE and Seychelles remind us that cooperation can thrive across continents and cultures. Their story—still unfolding—offers hope that even the smallest nations, with the right allies, can build futures as vast as the oceans that surround them.

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