UAE’s Military Expansion: Bases in Yemen, Libya, Egypt Spark Conspiratorial Concerns

A study investigated the UAE’s establishment of military bases in eight countries, suggesting it aims to extend influence, particularly in the Red Sea area, raising suspicions of covert expansionist agendas.
The study by the Carnegie Center for International Peace revealed that the UAE has set up military bases in Yemen, Eritrea, Somaliland, Puntland, Somalia, Chad, Libya, and Egypt since around mid-2010.
It stated that in light of the deteriorating security situation in the Red Sea region as a result of the continued Houthi attacks on ships passing through this vital sea lane, international interest has increased in building military bases and advanced protection centers to enhance control over one of the most important strategic roads in the world.
The study suggested that Abu Dhabi aims to broaden its influence in the Red Sea region and East African coasts by deploying a unique network of military bases, diverging from traditional strategies focused on containing neighboring powers or repelling external threats.
Reports published by the Associated Press in March covered news of the construction of a new airstrip on the “Abdul Kuri” island of the “Socotra” archipelago, located in the Gulf of Aden in Yemen.
While no country has admitted to these construction efforts, Abu Dhabi stands out as a top contender due to its significant track record of covertly establishing similar forward military installations in the past decade. These actions align with its broader objectives of advancing military, security, and economic interests in the region.
It usually builds its military bases from scratch, expands existing facilities, or obtains a temporary use concession in allied countries.
This adaptable planning approach not only minimizes the typical material expenses associated with such facilities but also offers various practical benefits, particularly in regions plagued by widespread anti-government armed factions, such as Yemen and numerous African nations.
Although the UAE has not officially admitted to the presence of these bases, reports from independent media outlets and satellite imagery monitoring Emirati activities, along with documentation from the UN, corroborate the actions undertaken by the Gulf state.
The UAE’s strong emphasis on secrecy can be linked to concerns about potential damage to its political stature and reputation. This includes apprehension about local opposition to Emirati presence in the countries of military expansion and the international community’s perception, especially when UAE facilities are utilized to assist factions in conflict-ridden nations.
The study indicated that the changes in UAE military bases abroad reflect the change in the perspective of UAE foreign policy since 2011. It is no secret that Abu Dhabi usually does not hesitate to rush to transfer its military equipment when its regional priorities change.
Following the Arab Spring uprisings, particularly from 2016 to 2019, crucial military installations in the UAE, such as the Al-Jufra and Al-Khadim air bases, along with the Assab military base, played a pivotal role in furnishing logistical aid required by Abu Dhabi and its allied factions in Libya and Yemen.
When the Emirati intervention in these wars ended, these bases were dismantled or converted to other uses, as happened in the Berber military base that was scheduled to be established in Somaliland and which was converted into a civilian airport.
The UAE’s main goal in establishing these military sites, especially in the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean region, maybe to protect the waterways from Houthi attacks, Somali piracy, and the increasing activity of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State on the eastern coast of Africa.
The UAE has growing economic interests not only in the waterways of the Red Sea but also in the eastern Mediterranean and Africa.
Therefore, it will spare no effort to protect its economic and military interests alike in the face of any source of threat, which is what has prompted it since 2023 to deploy its military bases not only in Yemen’s Abdul Kuri but also in Kismayo (Somalia) and Amjaras on Chad’s border with Sudan, which it established. It has an air base, according to the analysis.
The UAE is usually keen to conclude cooperation agreements and conduct joint military training with local forces in the countries in which it intends to establish its military bases.
Since 2012, it has trained Puntland’s maritime police force to combat piracy and opened a base in the coastal city of Bosaso in 2022.
Before it began building military centers in Kismayo and Amjaras, the UAE signed two security agreements with Somalia and Chad, which include its commitment to provide military training to combat terrorism.
The incident last February, where three Emirati soldiers were killed in Somalia by Al-Shabaab fighters at a training center in Mogadishu, underscores the risks associated with the UAE’s expansion of defense capabilities. This expansion places Emirati forces at the forefront, exposing them to potential targeting.
Aside from the security risks, the Emirati strategy of establishing military bases has influential geopolitical consequences, especially in the Arabian Gulf region.
The UAE’s military endeavors ignite a competitive dynamic for power with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, both of whom harbor overlapping strategic interests, including the preservation of maritime security and the provision of military training.
The study revealed that since 2011, the UAE and Qatar have been actively pursuing the expansion of their spheres of influence across the Horn of Africa. This heightened competition was evident in the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations in 2021.
The recent defense and economic pacts between Turkey and Somalia reignited competition, prompting the UAE to halt salary payments to several Somali army units in response to the agreement and an Al-Shabaab attack on its forces.
In Yemen, Saudi Arabia shares different areas of military influence – sometimes in the same governorate – and both countries fund military sites run by allied local forces.
The study concluded that despite the construction of the Abdul Kuri Air Base, the UAE shows no signs of forsaking its ambitions to establish military hubs aimed at sustaining and broadening its military presence in Africa and the Red Sea area. However, this expansion will necessitate Abu Dhabi to strike a delicate balance between its ambitious pursuits and its burgeoning security obligations as a middle power.