Inside Sisi’s Palace: How Bin Zayed is Shaping Egypt’s Political Future

Watan-In a surprise visit—his fourth in less than a year—UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in a summit that raised many questions about its timing and the political and economic messages it carries.

The meeting, held behind closed doors, has reignited discussions about the extent of Emirati influence within Egypt’s decision-making institutions, amid what has been described as a form of “soft political blackmail” that Abu Dhabi exercises over the Egyptian regime, which is deeply mired in a severe economic crisis.

The visit, described by pro-government media in both countries as “brotherly,” comes at a sensitive regional moment—amid the intensifying war on Gaza, rising tensions in the Red Sea, and growing Emirati pressure on Cairo to adjust its stance on proposals concerning the future of Gaza. According to observers, bin Zayed is seeking to impose an agenda that serves Israeli and American interests, using his financial and political tools in the region—chief among them, the Egyptian regime.

Analysts note that the UAE has invested billions of dollars in Egypt over the past decade—not just for economic reasons, but to establish strategic dominance that extends to the media, military, and even the levers of sovereign decision-making. Some see Abu Dhabi as exercising a kind of political guardianship over Cairo, through its sponsorship and direction of President el-Sisi, considered one of bin Zayed’s closest allies in the Arab world.

The frequency of these visits—56 meetings between the two leaders since 2013—has raised questions about the true nature of the relationship and the extent of concessions that may have been or could be made by Egypt in political, security, or economic matters in exchange for Emirati financial or political support.

At the same time, criticism is mounting both domestically and internationally regarding the UAE’s role in undermining the Palestinian cause, particularly given its silence on the atrocities committed in Gaza and its efforts to entrench an Israeli vision of regional security at the expense of peoples’ rights and aspirations.