UAE Expands Its Influence in Africa to Serve Its Controversial Ambitions
An international research center reported that the UAE is expanding its influence in Africa to pursue questionable objectives related to acquiring power and exploiting the resources and wealth of nations.
The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies noted that Abu Dhabi is enhancing its economic ties with Angola and other African countries by pledging substantial investments in key sectors such as energy, technology, and maritime logistics.
The center pointed out that “Angola, in return, provides the UAE with the possibility of achieving a greater degree of food security and access to important minerals. It also allows Abu Dhabi to deepen its influence in the African continent amid the decline in Chinese investments.”
It also mentioned that Abu Dhabi’s engagement with Angola has intensified through the establishment of prominent national companies like Masdar, which focuses on renewable energy and sustainable development, as well as DP World and the Abu Dhabi Ports group. These companies are investing in key sectors of the Angolan economy, including ports and defense.
He added that Abu Dhabi continues to import Angolan diamonds, and hopes to transform this country into a reliable food supplier in the coming years.
It noted that economic relations between the UAE and Angola have developed since 2021. Angola has a rapidly growing population, while its economy, the sixth largest in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, is recovering after suffering a severe recession in the late 2000s.
It also possesses significant agricultural potential, featuring fertile land and a favorable climate that could assist Abu Dhabi in diversifying its food imports. Additionally, Angola is among the world’s largest diamond exporters, with over two-thirds of its output currently being sold to the UAE, as stated in the report.
The report also suggests that Angola is thought to possess significant mineral resources, with estimates indicating vast unexplored regions containing substantial reserves of essential and rare earth minerals, including copper, cobalt, manganese, and lithium.
The center said that Emirati interests are also growing throughout Africa as part of a broader strategy that aims to transform into a center linking Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Since 2022, Emirati companies have sought stakes in mines in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Center revealed that the total UAE direct investment in Africa between 2012 and 2022 amounted to $59.4 billion, making it the third largest source of investment on the continent after China and the United States.
