In the shadow of official diplomacy,the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a central — but often overlooked — force in Africa’s escalating conflicts,according to observers and experts on the region.
“Most people blame the United States,while others are suspicious of China … however,… the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is slowly but surely emerging as another cancer which is ravaging many African states,yet nobody is talking about it,” said a recent opinion piece in The Tanzania Times. From Sudan to Libya and even Gaza,the Gulf state is accused of deploying private armies,arming militias,and exploiting failed states to project regional influence.
A surge in violent conflict since 2022 has been shaped not just by internal dynamics,but by covert foreign interventions. Chief among them is the UAE’s support for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF),implicated in atrocities in Darfur. According to UN reports and open-source intelligence,weapons supplied by the UAE have been routed through Chad and Somalia,with Bosaso Airport acting as a crucial logistics hub. At least 19 UAE cargo flights landed there en route to Sudan in recent months.
UAE’s use of mercenaries — primarily Latin American fighters recruited via private firms — has extended its reach. A crashed Emirati plane in Darfur exposed a battalion of Colombian fighters aiding RSF forces. Meanwhile,reports of UAE-financed mercenaries in Gaza further illustrate Abu Dhabi’s expanding proxy footprint. Behind these operations is Erik Prince,founder of Blackwater,now operating under new fronts like Reflex Responses and Vectus Global. Backed by UAE funding,Prince’s model of privatized warfare — tested in Yemen,Libya,and now Haiti — has turned Africa into a playground for militarized influence. Some analysts warn: the real threat to African sovereignty may no longer wear a uniform — but a tailored suit.
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