Introduction
While Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ) enjoyed red carpet treatment in Paris, his entourage was executing a deeper mission: expanding the UAE’s political influence in the heart of the French Republic. Through well-paid PR contracts, think tanks, book deals, and institutional access, the UAE has built one of the most effective—and opaque—foreign influence networks in France today.
The PR Nexus: Project Associates France
Since June 2019, Project Associates’ French branch has worked directly with the UAE embassy. Its mandate includes crafting official communications, organizing “friendly” events with lawmakers, and steering media narratives. Sources confirm it also subtly places talking points in French press and shields the regime’s human rights record.
Media Soft Power
In 2017, the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation bought into Euronews. In exchange for annual sponsorships worth millions, the UAE received glowing coverage—highlighting Expo 2020, green energy, and tolerance, while whitewashing war crimes in Yemen or support to militias in Sudan and Libya.
The Political Ecosystem
French Senator Nathalie Goulet—an outspoken critic of Qatar—appears regularly in media promoting Emirati positions. Her book on terrorism financing mirrors UAE narratives, yet barely mentions Abu Dhabi’s own scandals or its FATF grey-listing. Goulet’s events have been funded by Emirati-linked think tanks like Cornerstone Global.
Think Tanks & Cognitive Warfare
Groups like the Bussola Institute and Cornerstone Global help Abu Dhabi run a soft war against political Islam, casting any Muslim movement with democratic aspirations as a security threat. They supply “research,” host seminars in the French Senate, and target civil society under the guise of counterterrorism.
Inside the State
French officials including Bruno Le Maire, Gérald Darmanin, and former ministers have repeated UAE-manufactured tropes about “separatism,” “radical Islam,” and the dangers of Muslim civil society. Behind this is years of lobbying that pushed France closer to the UAE’s authoritarian worldview.
Interpol and Beyond
Despite being accused of torture, Emirati official Ahmed Al-Raisi was elected president of Interpol in 2021, headquartered in Lyon. Dark Box has uncovered that Project Associates quietly promoted his candidacy in France, in coordination with Gulf officials.
Conclusion
The UAE’s influence in France is not just soft—it’s strategic. It aims to reshape foreign and domestic policies, legitimize authoritarian rule, and suppress democratic movements. Dark Box believes these influence operations must now be publicly exposed and legally regulated.
