A significant milestone in the nation's energy access and clean energy transition has been reached with the formal groundbreaking of a 50 megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Sakaï, Central African Republic (CAR), by the UAE-based resources investment firm Global South Utilities (GSU).

More than 300,000 families are anticipated to receive clean electricity from the project, which is also anticipated to offset more than 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Additionally, it will have a 10-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) to improve grid stability and guarantee constant power supply. The program will help local skill development and economic inclusion by generating new job possibilities in the renewable energy sector, in addition to increasing energy availability, according to a statement.

Along with senior government officials and GSU leadership, Pascal Bida Koyagbele, Minister of State for Strategic Investments and Major Work, and Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic, attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

According to Ali Alshimmari, Managing Director and CEO of GSU, "this project will play a key role in expanding energy access to communities across the Central African Republic." "It marks yet another milestone in our dedication to providing scalable, clean energy solutions in areas that others may consider challenging, but which we see as opportunities for sustainable growth."

The Sakaï solar project comes after the UAE and CAR signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in March 2025, which looks to expand bilateral investment and trade in a number of important areas.

The UAE's dedication to climate-friendly investments and pragmatic economic ties with nations in the Global South is further demonstrated by this facility, which is a part of GSU's expanding portfolio of clean energy projects throughout Africa.