United Arab Emirates / Algeria: Dubai – a partner Africa must not sacrifice
On the diplomatic stage, one question keeps coming back with insistence: should African countries align themselves with Algeria’s position toward the United Arab Emirates? The answer is clear: no. The continent has too much to lose by giving in to pressures that do not serve its interests.
For millions of Africans, Dubai is not a geopolitical abstraction. It is a familiar destination, a business hub, a place where people come to sell, buy, negotiate, and train. Flights between major African cities and the UAE have multiplied, business communities have established themselves there, and human ties have been woven. This daily reality carries more weight than rhetoric.
The UAE has never been identified as an actor of destabilization or terrorism in Africa. Its action on the continent is part of a logic of economic and humanitarian cooperation. The accusations circulating stem from particular interests and rivalries that divide rather than build.
The United Arab Emirates is perceived in Africa as a nation that invests massively: road and port infrastructure, health facilities, educational programs, and energy. These are visible, measurable achievements that improve people’s lives. Rejecting such a partner in the name of considerations foreign to the continent would be a strategic mistake.
Effectively supporting the UAE does not mean opposing any particular country. It means defending the principle that every African nation is free in its alliances. Africa does not need imposed alignment; it needs chosen partnerships. Only then will the continent speak with one voice on the real issues: development, security, youth, and the future.
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