President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh has raised alarm over the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) expansive presence in Africa, accusing the Gulf nation of masking military ambitions beneath its multi-billion-dollar investment campaigns.
In a recent interview with Radio France Internationale, Guelleh described the UAE’s $110 billion investment push across the continent as a calculated strategy to expand military influence under the guise of economic development.
“These investments are not purely economic ventures,” he said. “They are intertwined with military objectives that risk compromising the sovereignty and stability of African nations.”
The president revealed that Djibouti had previously rejected a UAE request to establish a military base on its territory. Following that refusal, he said, the UAE pivoted to neighboring countries, seeking influence through ports and strategic infrastructure along vital maritime routes.
Djibouti, located at the southern gateway to the Red Sea, already hosts military bases from the United States, France, China, and Japan. Guelleh emphasized that his country maintains a policy of neutrality and balance but cautioned against foreign actors blending development with defense in ways that could upset regional equilibrium.
Although the UAE has not officially responded to the allegations, Emirati officials have consistently portrayed their investments as contributions to regional stability and economic growth.
Broader Regional Concerns: Sudan’s Civil Conflict and Alleged UAE Role
Guelleh’s remarks come amid increasing scrutiny of the UAE’s activities in other parts of Africa, notably Sudan, where reports have emerged of the Gulf state providing material support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF, a paramilitary group engaged in a deadly power struggle with the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023, has been implicated in grave human rights abuses, including massacres and ethnically targeted violence.
Recent investigations and UN reports suggest the UAE has been a key backer of the RSF, supplying arms and logistical support through military routes in Chad and Libya — a claim Emirati authorities have repeatedly denied. Nonetheless, the issue has intensified debates around foreign involvement in African conflicts and the dual-use nature of many external investment projects.
For Djibouti and other regional actors, these developments reinforce fears that Africa’s economic corridors are becoming militarized, with strategic infrastructure serving both commerce and covert geopolitical objectives.
“The blending of economic investments with military ambitions by external actors poses a serious threat to regional peace,” Guelleh warned. “We must approach these partnerships with greater caution and ensure they do not compromise our autonomy.”
As Gulf states deepen their footprints across the continent, African leaders face growing pressure to navigate an increasingly complex web of foreign interests — balancing development opportunities with long-term sovereignty and stability.