UAE Becomes Africa’s Leading Investor, Raising Concerns Over Labor Rights, Environmental Practices, and Involvement in Conflicts
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has rapidly become Africa’s largest investor, pledging $110 billion to various business ventures from 2019 to 2023. This includes a significant $72 billion dedicated to renewable energy projects, which has raised hopes for green energy advancement across the continent. However, alongside these economic investments, the UAE’s track record on labor rights, environmental practices, and involvement in regional conflicts has attracted serious concerns.
In addition to its labor rights issues, the UAE has been implicated in supporting violent conflicts and human rights abuses across the continent. According to UN reports seen by The Wall Africa Journal, the UAE has provided significant backing to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, a group responsible for widespread killings and displacing millions of people. The UAE’s involvement in Sudan has contributed to further instability in the region. This pattern extends beyond Sudan, with the UAE also implicated in conflicts in Libya, Somalia, and several other African countries, where its actions have exacerbated humanitarian crises.
While African governments have welcomed the financial influx from the UAE, its involvement in these conflicts has raised alarm. The UAE’s political influence, particularly in North Africa and the Horn of Africa, has led to accusations of fueling violence and instability, often supporting groups and regimes that contribute to humanitarian disasters. This record on human rights violations, combined with the lack of attention to environmental and labor standards, raises critical questions about the long-term impacts of UAE investments in Africa.
Despite these concerns, the UAE continues to play a significant role in the region’s infrastructure, energy, and mining sectors, with companies like DP World and Emirates Airlines solidifying their presence across the continent. The UAE has also made moves in agriculture and telecoms, along with striking deals in the carbon credit market in countries like Zimbabwe, Liberia, and Zambia.
While the UAE’s financial contributions are undoubtedly needed for Africa’s energy transition, experts warn that its disregard for labor rights and environmental protections, coupled with its support for destabilizing conflicts, may undermine the sustainability of its investments. As the UAE deepens its involvement in Africa, it is crucial that the region ensures that these investments are not only economically beneficial but also contribute to long-term peace, human rights, and environmental sustainability.