The UAE as a security partner in Africa

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The Emirati government appears to have three main goals in increasing its level of security assistance to partner countries in Africa: fighting Islamist and extremist groups, securing and preserving a regional economic advantage and, to a lesser extent, preserving its interests vis-à-vis geopolitical rivals. While arms transfers had until recent years consisted predominantly of armoured vehicles and second-hand equipment, the country has expanded its domestic production capacity for uninhabited aerial vehicles and loitering munitions; these could potentially be transferred in greater numbers to African partners, altering existing equilibriums.