The New Scramble for Africa
Originally published by The Elephant — Read the original article →
Something important is happening across the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. Wars that appear local are drawing in actors from increasingly far away. Ports built for commerce acquire military uses. Gold mined in conflict zones travels through international financial centers. Drones purchased abroad alter wars. Governments negotiate with foreign powers while those same powers cultivate armed groups or parallel authorities elsewhere.
Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Somaliland and Yemen are usually discussed as separate crises. Look more closely and the connections become difficult to ignore. A United Nations investigation found that forces aligned with Khalifa Haftar helped move Colombian fighters through Libya to support Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces. Sudanese gold travels toward the Gulf, while Chatham House has documented the importance of the UAE to the regional gold economy. In western Ethiopia, a Reuters investigation found a large training camp for fighters intended for the RSF, with reliable sources saying the UAE financed the facility and provided trainers and logistical support.
These are not isolated developments. They point toward a changing system of power around the Red Sea.
