From Sudan to Socotra, the UAE fuses soft power with militarized control to dominate trade routes, fuel proxy wars, and entrench Israeli–Emirati security interests across the Horn of Africa and Yemen.
Since 2015, the UAE has abandoned its historical posture of neutrality in favor of assertive regional entanglements. This transition coincided with the rise of Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (MbZ) to the position of commander of the armed forces and, eventually, the presidency.
Under his leadership, the UAE accelerated a strategy that fuses militarization with aggressive branding of soft power....
Abu Dhabi established military bases, armed and financed allied factions, raised mercenary armies, and intervened directly in conflicts – most notably in Yemen and across the Horn of Africa – while simultaneously promoting a national image of modernity and openness.
Ports, profit, and proxy militias
To entrench its influence, the UAE has adopted a dual strategy of economic penetration and military entrenchment. Through investment vehicles such as DP World [Connected to Epstein], Abu Dhabi has taken control of vital maritime routes, setting up logistical hubs, training camps, and bases in fragile and fragmented states.
These initiatives target strategic chokepoints along the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, notably Bab al-Mandab and the coasts of Yemen and the Horn of Africa, under the guise of ensuring maritime security.
Sudanese journalist Kamal Sir al-Khatem tells The Cradle that this expansion is not merely commercial but represents a broader “sub-imperial” project:
"The UAE represents a model of a peripheral state that practices imperialism within its own region, while at the same time remaining dependent on the United States as the main imperialist power."
He highlights the UAE's $60 billion investment footprint in Africa, placing it just behind China, the EU, and the US in foreign investment rankings. Beyond port development, these investments include logistics, supply chains, energy, agriculture, and mineral extraction, particularly in countries with weak governance and oversight.
Abu Dhabi's approach weaves together economic ventures and militarized interventions in a coordinated manner that allows it to neutralize rival ports and assert control over pivotal hubs like Djibouti, Aden, and Port Sudan. These efforts reflect strategic ambitions to monopolize regional trade arteries and reinforce its leverage in global shipping...
The Israeli occupation state's normalization with the UAE has further deepened military-strategic cooperation, particularly after 2023's Operation Al-Aqsa Flood reshaped West Asian alignments. This cooperation is rooted in shared security doctrines and manifests in joint projects and intelligence collaboration across contested zones.
🔗SOURCE ➡️ The Cradle
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