Gulf State Competition Plays Out in Horn of Africa

The International Crisis Group published on 19 September 2019 a report titled "Intra-Gulf Competition in Africa's Horn: Lessening the Impact."

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Turkey are competing to set the rules for a Red Sea region long in turmoil. Two overlapping rivalries drive and define this engagement: a split withing the Gulf pitting Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt against Qatar and Turkey and competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In both of these divisions, the main rivals see Africa as a new arena for competition and building alliances. They also see China as the emerging dominant force in the Horn, and hence one with which they will need to ally, as U.S. and European influence recedes.