The Battle for Africa: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE Open a New Front
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE are investing billions in Africa, taking over ports, and expanding their military presence. The goal: minerals, shipping routes, and influence over one of the most important arenas in the world.
While international attention is focused on the tensions in the Gulf and the Houthi threats in the Red Sea, a powerful and much broader struggle is taking place behind the scenes over the future of the Black Continent. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE are storming Africa with a series of massive investments and military moves, marking the next strategic arena.
At the center of the immediate moves is the Saudi announcement of the establishment of a 13-nation maritime alliance to secure shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which Turkey joined as part of a joint defense agreement signed in Mecca alongside Pakistan. However, as analyzed by Laura Tingle from the Australian network ABC, the preparations in the Red Sea are only the gateway to a much deeper penetration into the continent, reminiscent of the historical "Scramble for Africa" - this time not through colonial conquest, but through money, mining, and ports.
The economic interest is clear: according to estimates, Africa holds about 15% of the world's rare mineral reserves, alongside control over critical metals such as lithium and cobalt, which are necessary for the electric vehicle and defense industries. In response, countries like Congo and Zimbabwe have begun to restrict raw exports and impose massive taxes. Saudi Arabia has already committed to investments of more than $41 billion in development, industry, and agricultural land, while Ankara has dramatically expanded its diplomatic presence, airline routes, and arms exports, alongside military involvement in Libya, Somalia, and Niger.
A Turkish fighter jet in the skies over Mogadishu, Somalia (Photo: Arab social networks)
But the one leaving everyone behind is the UAE. According to a report in the "Financial Times", since 2017, Abu Dhabi has poured over $168 billion into Africa, including managing ports in 13 countries through the logistics giant DP World and acquiring vast areas for agriculture and mining.
Along with the capital comes political complexity. The UAE is facing sharp international criticism due to allegations of supporting the "Rapid Support Forces" militia in Sudan, allegations that Abu Dhabi categorically denies. Either way, the regional powers of the Middle East have already understood what the West sometimes misses: the future of global influence is currently being shaped on African soil.
