Exclusive: UAE pursuing 'port imperialism' across Africa, Eritrean foreign minister says
Exclusive: UAE pursuing 'port imperialism' across Africa, Eritrean foreign minister says Submitted by Sean Mathews on Thu, 09/10/2026 - 13:53 UAE sought a shared Eritrean island base for Israel as early as 2016. Asmara sees closer Israel-UAE alignment on Ethiopia Minister of Foreign Affairs for Eritrea Osman Saleh addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York…
Eritrea's Foreign Minister Osman Saleh has criticised the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its "port imperialism" across Africa, calling it motivated by factors beyond mere economics. The UAE's two port groups, DP World and AD Ports, manage facilities in Egypt, Tanzania, Somaliland, and Puntland, a semiautonomous region of Somalia.
Saleh expressed Eritrea's reluctance to accept a UAE port role, stating that the country does not want any foreign power to establish a base in Eritrea. The UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are involved in fighting against Sudan's military, a relationship that further strains Eritrea-UAE ties. Eritrea and Ethiopia have patched up their strained relations to jointly fight against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in Ethiopia, but tensions persist as Ethiopia claims Eritrea supports TPLF factions.
Eritrean officials also express concern over the UAE's alignment with Israel, particularly in Somaliland, which they view as a strategic move with imperialistic undertones.
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