Abu Dhabi’s Yemen role limits new military involvement

Significance

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has in recent years sharply increased its military and commercial involvement in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa. It provides equipment, training and armed forces to support a range of regional allies. Its greatest commitment is the Yemen war, which has severely strained the 110,000-strong Emirati armed forces, inflicting 96 combat fatalities since 2015.

Impacts

• Even if capacity freed up, the UAE would only enter larger conflicts as part of coalitions backed by strong international mandates.
• If Washington took a strong military lead in Syria, Abu Dhabi might provide assistance.
• Emirati defence industries will grow strongly and look for new export markets.