UAE’s Influence in Sudan: Kenya’s Role and Growing Geopolitical Tensions
Kenya's Strategic Alignment with UAE Sparks Controversy in Sudan's Civil War and Regional Security.
Watan-An attention-grabbing and cautious sequence of events is unfolding regarding the UAE’s role in Sudan with the Rapid Support Forces militia, which has sparked the civil war in the country for the past two years in order to implement Abu Dhabi’s conspiracy to expand its influence.
Regional observers note that, until the beginning of this year, neighboring Kenya had not been involved in Sudan’s civil war and had remained neutral.
However, on Tuesday, January 14, the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed, hosted a high-ranking delegation from Kenya led by the country’s president, William Ruto, where they signed economic partnership agreements to expand UAE investments in Kenya and increase the trade value, which currently stands at three billion dollars.
Kenya Hosts Sudanese Factions Amid Growing Tensions and Regional Shifts
On Wednesday, January 29, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi hosted the Kenyan president and signed several joint agreements to enhance relations and cooperation, including trade agreements, although they were valued at less than half a billion dollars. More significantly, they discussed defense and counterterrorism agreements. President Sisi also stated that they discussed the situation in Sudan.
Later, on Tuesday, February 18, Kenya hosted armed Sudanese factions linked to the UAE-funded Rapid Support Forces in Nairobi, along with several other political and armed groups opposing the regime of Sudanese army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Nairobi has been hosting these talks, to which the Sudanese government was not invited, until tomorrow, Friday.
Sudan Protests Kenya’s Role, Raising Concerns Over Regional Security and UAE Influence
On Wednesday, the Sudanese government protested what Kenya is doing, considering it a threat to Sudan’s unity and an attempt to divide its land by supporting political and armed factions not affiliated with the state in establishing a parallel government abroad.
In response, UAE media conveyed Kenya’s defense, stating that its goal is to achieve peace and reconciliation first among these factions. Kenya is consulting the African Union, headquartered in Addis Ababa, in these efforts.
Here, observers are questioning Egypt’s stance on Kenya’s actions toward Sudan. Is it a coincidence that the timing of the partnership with Kenya occurred two weeks before Kenya’s actions against Sudan, and just one week after the UAE’s initiative to strengthen relations with Kenya, a country that is positioning itself as a regional guarantor, even at the expense of Egypt’s security to the south, east, and west?
