The United Arab Emirates has emerged as one of Africa’s most aggressive foreign investors, committing more than $110 billion to the continent between 2019 and 2023, that is three times more than China’s pledges in the same period. But behind the glossy infrastructure deals and port concessions lies a strategy that critics say amounts to a new form of imperialism.
From the Horn of Africa to the Atlantic coast, the UAE has built a network of ports, military bases, agricultural land acquisitions and mining concessions that encircle the continent. The Emirati state-owned logistics giant DP World alone operates or has agreements to build ports in more than a dozen African countries, creating a logistical chain that gives Abu Dhabi control over critical trade routes.
The strategy is not just economic. The UAE has also established military bases in Eritrea, Somaliland and other strategic locations, while funding armed groups and mercenaries in conflicts from Libya to Sudan. In the Central African Republic, Emirati diplomats have negotiated access to remote airstrips in exchange for defence and mining investments. In Sudan, the UAE has been accused of funneling gold revenues to fund warring factions.
Analysts describe the UAE as a “sub-imperial” power—using its wealth and alliances with Western powers to extract resources and project influence in ways that serve both its own interests and those of traditional imperial powers. The Gulf state has acquired agricultural land in at least ten African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania, often for food production or carbon-offset projects that critics say amount to land grabs.
The UAE’s expansion has not gone unchallenged. Several African governments have pushed back against Emirati interference, and rival powers such as Saudi Arabia have worked to counter Abu Dhabi’s influence. But the UAE’s deep pockets, strategic patience and willingness to operate in grey zones have made it a formidable player in Africa’s geopolitical landscape.
For African leaders, the question is whether the UAE’s investments will bring sustainable development or deepen dependency. For the rest of the world, the UAE’s imperial push into Africa is a reminder that the age of empire is not over, it has simply changed its flag.
Africa Presents is a Pan-African digital magazine and monthly publication covering politics, business, economy, culture, tech, and the stories shaping Africa and its diaspora. Visit africapresents.com and follow @AfricaPresents for daily coverage and monthly themed magazine editions.
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