Djibouti’s Warning Against UAE Investments in Africa, More to it That Meets the Eye

Sudanhorizon – Osman Sadiq
Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh has issued a sharp warning against the United Arab Emirates’ growing influence in Africa, accusing it of using economic investments as a cover to expand its military and strategic control across the continent.
On Tuesday, AllAfrica—citing Radio France Internationale—reported President Guelleh’s criticism of what he called the “UAE’s $110 billion African investment campaign,” describing it as a “strategic deception” aimed at entrenching military presence under the guise of economic development.
“The UAE is severely destabilizing the region,” Guelleh stated. “No investment comes without military interests. This is a threat to Africa’s sovereignty.”
According to Djibouti’s Dalsan Radio on Tuesday, Guelleh also revealed that his country’s earlier rejection of a UAE request to establish a military base prompted the Emirates to pivot toward securing strategic footholds in other coastal states. The UAE has since targeted critical maritime chokepoints, such as the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, while heavily investing in ports and infrastructure projects across East Africa. This has raised concerns about regional militarisation and foreign interference in the internal affairs of African nations.
A Broader Pattern of Strategic Encroachment
Guelleh’s remarks reflect mounting unease among African leaders over the UAE’s expanding role in key sectors, including ports, logistics, telecommunications, and transportation. While these economic partnerships appear benign, Guelleh emphasized their ties to long-term military strategies that threaten national independence and stability. “There is no such thing as neutral investment,” he asserted. “Every port or infrastructure deal is inevitably linked to a broader geopolitical agenda.”
The Djiboutian president also highlighted the UAE’s growing involvement in Somalia, where it is known to support regional administrations opposed to the federal government. He warned that such interference undermines Somali unity and exacerbates internal political divisions.
Similarly, the UAE has expanded its footprint in Ethiopia and attempted to do so in Sudan, where, based on evidence presented to UN agencies, it stands accused of backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, which has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity nationwide. Notably, Emirati investments often cluster near conflict zones or disputed territories.
A Rare Public Rebuke
Guelleh’s comments rank among the most direct critiques by a sitting African head of state against UAE influence. They raise fundamental questions about the long-term consequences of foreign investments bundled with strategic and military strings attached. As African nations weigh the benefits of foreign capital against sovereignty risks, Guelleh’s warning may prompt governments to rethink engagements with external actors like the UAE, which seek to shape the continent’s priorities directly.
Al-Muhaqiq notes that Djibouti-UAE relations have been strained since 2018, when Djibouti expelled DP World, an Emirati port operator, from the Doraleh Container Terminal—triggering international legal battles and diplomatic fallout.
Regional Whistle-Blowing
Observers argue that Guelleh’s warning gains urgency when viewed alongside Sudan’s repeated accusations that the UAE fuels the RSF’s war against the Sudanese state, targeting its economic, social, political, and military infrastructure. Recent allegations cite UAE-linked “strategic drone strikes” launched from international waters in the Red Sea, which hit the administrative capital Port Sudan and nearby eastern cities.
This aligns with reporting by Arawelo Network, a Horn of Africa-focused outlet, which quoted independent journalist and human rights activist Arali Jama last Saturday:
“The regional situation was never simple, with missiles from Israel, the U.S., the Houthis, and the UAE crisscrossing Red Sea skies. It won’t take much for nations to become collateral damage in this growing storm.”

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