The UAE recognises that Sub-Saharan African states are central to the region's security and stability and play a critical role in international relations. Therefore, the UAE has increased its commitment to peacekeeping and counter-terrorism in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa over the years.
In 2017, the UAE pledged USD 35.4 million to a counter-terrorism force in the Sahel region. In addition, the UAE is an active participant of the Coalition for the Sahel and supports the Sahel Coalition Roadmap, aimed at tackling the threats of terrorism, extremism, and the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing the threat of instability in the Sahel region cannot be carried out through security and military measures alone. It also requires the international community to pursue both a sustainable approach and a continued commitment that considers the region's development and socioeconomic needs.
The UAE strongly believes that only by unifying our efforts to achieve our shared goals in fighting terrorism and ending extremism in the Sahel, as well as emphasising the importance of continued support for developmental and humanitarian programs, we will be able to curb extremism in all its manifestations and restore security and stability in the region.
From 2014 to 2018, the UAE trained and equipped hundreds of Somali troops as part of a joint security program with the UN-sanctioned African Union Mission to Somalia to defeat Islamist insurgencies. The UAE was among the "S6" group of donors to Somalia's security sector, formed in 2016. In addition, the UAE extended its support to Somalia by training the Puntland Maritime Police Force at the Bosaso naval base in 2018.
The UAE has actively supported international diplomatic efforts to facilitate mediation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. In January 2021, a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded a one-day visit to Khartoum to reactivate negotiations between Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt.
The UAE played a key mediator role in the 20-year conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. In 2018, the African nations announced that they reached a peace agreement, which according to the International Crisis Group, was made possible with the help of UAE diplomacy and aid.
The UAE also helped bring various Sudanese factions to the negotiating table, which eventually led to the historic peace accord in Sudan in 2020.
This link will direct you to an external website that may have different content and privacy policies from mofa.gov.ae
