Despite Western governments’ long-standing preoccupation with China’s role in Africa, the major geopolitical transformation occurring across the continent today is the expanding influence of the Middle Eastern middle powers. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have equities that extend from the Gulf of Aden in the east to the Gulf of Guinea in the west. Militarily, this includes a continent-spanning archipelago of Emirati military bases and defense cooperation agreements. Economically, this involves an estimated $65 billion in investments in East Africa. The UAE alone invested $47 billion in projects related to infrastructure, security energy, mining, ports, and agriculture, making it the fourth-largest foreign direct investor in Africa behind China, the European Union, and the United States.
School Authors: Michael Woldemariam
Other Authors: Zuri Linetsky