The growing evidence of military cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the Ethiopian PP regime raises serious concerns about the future stability of the Horn of Africa.
For months, suspicious cargo and military flights between the UAE and Ethiopia have been documented. Particularly notable is Bahir Dar Airport in northern Ethiopia, which appears to have become a strategic hub for regional military activity.
Recent reports from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) regarding downed Turkish Bayraktar Akinci drones have further strengthened suspicions that Bahir Dar may have served not only as a logistical center, but potentially also as an operational base for military activities connected to the Sudan conflict.
If these allegations are confirmed, the consequences for the entire region could be severe.
While Addis Ababa publicly speaks about regional cooperation and stability, there is an increasing perception that the PP regime is, in fact, pursuing a policy of military power projection — supported by external actors with their own geopolitical interests.
At the same time, the United Arab Emirates is facing growing criticism over its alleged involvement in African conflicts, both directly and indirectly. Emirati interests, weapons transfers, and military networks have already been linked to several crisis zones across the continent. The current developments surrounding Ethiopia and Sudan could represent another chapter in this increasingly assertive foreign policy.
Particularly alarming is the potential internationalization of the Sudan war. Every form of foreign interference prolongs the conflict, deepens the humanitarian catastrophe, and further destabilizes the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
Meanwhile, the PP regime continues to dismiss criticism as “conspiracy theories” or “anti-Ethiopian propaganda.” Yet the number of unanswered questions continues to grow:
Why are military flights between the UAE and Bahir Dar increasing?
What role are foreign drones playing in the Sudan conflict?
Why are more indications of covert military cooperation emerging?
The people of the region deserve answers — not propaganda, intimidation, or geopolitical power games.
The Horn of Africa needs peace, economic development, and genuine regional cooperation. But as long as external actors and regional governments continue to instrumentalize conflicts for strategic interests, the risk of a much larger escalation will remain real.