The African media organisation Financial Afrik, during the current edition of its annual conference hosted by the Gambian capital Banjul, selected Ali Alshimmari, Managing Director and CEO of the UAE-based company Global South Utilities, as a pioneer of Arab–African cooperation, as part of a list of 100 influential African figures in the fields of economy, investment, and development, in recognition of his role in supporting sustainable energy projects and promoting long-term investment across the African continent.

President Adama Barrow of The Gambia received Alshimmari and expressed his appreciation for the UAE’s support and investments in the continent.

This recognition marks the second of its kind that Alshimmari has received within a few months. In September, he was awarded the Officer of the National Order of Chad by Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, one of the country’s highest honors, making him the first foreign company CEO to receive this distinction from the Chadian president. The award recognised Alshimmari’s commitment to delivering the Noor Chad Solar Power Plant in record time.

Alshimmari has emerged as one of the UAE’s prominent young executives in the renewable energy sector. He previously held senior positions at Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) and Masdar, and worked on cross-border renewable energy projects, before assuming leadership of Global South Utilities, a subsidiary of Resources Investment Group in Abu Dhabi.

Following the award ceremony, Alshimmari said, “In Africa, energy is neither a luxury nor a technical issue. When electricity reaches an African village, it is not just lighting, but life in motion. Schools operate, clinics remain open, and the economy moves. This is the Africa we are working for.”

Alshimmari recently stated during the Global South Utilities Forum, hosted as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, that, “In the Global South, sustainability is not a vision of the future-it is the price of delay, paid today,” adding that, “While much of the world debates sustainability in the Global South, the UAE is busy building it.”

The company is currently implementing several renewable energy projects in a number of African countries, including Madagascar, the Central African Republic, the Comoros Islands, and Chad, contributing to improving local production capacity and supporting economic stability.

Global South Utilities aims to reach a production capacity of 750 megawatts by 2027, having so far financed projects with a total capacity of nearly 400 megawatts, including projects implemented within the African continent.