Report Exposes UAE’s Shadow Influence in Africa Through Corruption, Arms, and Gold Smuggling

Watan-A new report by the Strasbourg Policy Center (SPC) has revealed the controversial nature of the UAE’s growing influence in Africa, warning that Abu Dhabi’s financial involvement is entangled with corruption, money laundering, political manipulation, and covert militarization.

According to the report, the UAE has invested billions of dollars across African sectors—including infrastructure, energy, mining, and real estate—giving the illusion of a development-oriented agenda. However, these financial flows have been accompanied by widespread corruption, illicit finance, and political interference.

UAE: The Preferred Partner of African Elites

Unlike Western donors, who often attach political conditions to their aid, such as human rights and governance benchmarks, the UAE’s investment model is purely transactional. This makes Abu Dhabi the preferred ally of many African ruling elites, thanks to political neutrality, secrecy, and legal protection.

Dubai: Africa’s Money Laundering Haven

A central focus of the report is Dubai’s financial secrecy, which has made the emirate a safe haven for illicit African assets. The city’s lightly regulated banking system, anonymous shell companies, and luxury real estate loopholes allow massive sums of money to flow unchecked.

Citing global investigations like the Pandora Papers and “Dubai Uncovered”, the report shows that dozens of politically exposed African figures used the UAE financial system to launder wealth, often through high-end real estate in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Gold Smuggling: A Web of Corruption

Perhaps the most alarming revelation is the UAE’s central role in smuggling African gold, especially from Sudan, DR Congo, and Ghana. The report names the Kaloti Precious Metals company, previously linked to unverified gold imports that bypass international anti-money laundering standards.

This underground trade fuels corruption in exporting countries and undermines reform efforts, particularly in nations with weak regulatory frameworks.

Military Influence: Covert Power Projection

Beyond economics, the UAE has been militarily active in conflict zones across Africa, especially in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel region. Abu Dhabi has supported militias like Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, and maintains military bases in Eritrea and Somaliland, securing a strategic hold over Red Sea maritime routes.

Researchers stress that this military presence is not incidental but a strategic doctrine combining soft and hard power projection.

Tax Evasion and Legal Arbitrage

The report further exposes how the UAE’s double taxation agreements with numerous African nations are exploited by multinational corporations and local elites to evade taxes, draining the public revenue of already resource-constrained countries.

Investigations reveal that elites from Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa own over 800 luxury properties in Dubai, collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of these properties are registered under proxies or shell companies, making them ideal tools for concealing wealth and avoiding accountability.

Cosmetic Reforms, Persistent Risks

While the UAE claims to be reforming its financial system and engaging in international anti-corruption initiatives, the SPC report describes these measures as “cosmetic”, failing to address the core enablers of global illicit finance.

The Emirates, according to the report, continues to offer protection to corrupt leaders and actively worsens inequality and injustice across Africa.

Policy Recommendations:

SPC urges the international community to take immediate action, including:

• Strict controls on suspicious Emirati investments in Africa

• Mandatory transparency of real estate ownership in the UAE

• Cooperation between international financial crime agencies

• Sanctions on individuals and firms involved in illicit finance

This exposé frames the UAE not as a driver of African development, but as a covert power player leveraging secrecy and militarism to dominate strategic parts of the continent. As African elites profit, ordinary citizens remain the greatest victims of a system that thrives on opacity, inequality, and exploitation.