The UAE’s Sub-Imperialist Role in Africa

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a sub-imperial power in Africa, reshaping regional geopolitics through a combination of economic investment, political intervention, and military expansion.

1. Conceptual Framework: Sub-Imperialism

Drawing on Ruy Mauro Marini’s framework, sub-imperialism refers to peripheral states that act as regional enforcers of imperialist practices while remaining dependent on core powers. The UAE exemplifies this dynamic: reliant on the US for security, yet asserting its own imperial projects across Africa and the Middle East.

2. Economic Expansion

The UAE has invested over $60 billion across Africa, pledging nearly $100 billion more. Key sectors include:

• Ports & Logistics: DP World & AD Ports operate dozens of facilities encircling Africa, creating control over global trade routes.
• Agricultural Land: Massive acquisitions in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya & beyond, often displacing communities and depleting water resources.
• Mining & Gold: The UAE is central to illicit gold flows, especially from DRC and Sudan, where smuggling sustains war economies.

3. Political and Military Influence

• The UAE has intervened in conflicts from Libya to Sudan, supplying drones, weapons, and mercenaries.
• Bases in Eritrea, Somalia, Chad, and Libya serve both economic and military ambitions.
• In Sudan, the UAE’s support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) exacerbates the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

4. Alignment and Autonomy

While hosting US troops and designated a “Major Defense Partner,” the UAE diversifies its alliances — expanding trade with China, joining BRICS, and deepening ties with Russia. This dual posture enhances its leverage between rival powers.

5. Image, Lobbying and Resistance

The UAE invests heavily in image management: sponsoring global sports, lobbying in Washington and London, and promoting itself as modern and progressive. But behind this veneer lie extractive practices, human rights violations, and destabilisation of African states.

Conclusion

The UAE’s sub-imperialism is a crucial lens to understand the new architecture of global capitalism. It reveals how small but wealthy states can shape entire regions, undermining sovereignty and justice. Resistance movements must link the UAE’s global brand to its destructive actions in Africa, challenging both its power and the imperial structures it supports.