What's happened
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have intensified, with Saudi pushing for regional security alliances and Yemen projects, while the UAE faces setbacks in Yemen and Horn of Africa. Recent developments include Saudi's push for a Pakistan-Turkey security pact and increased regional influence efforts.
What's behind the headline?
The current escalation reflects a fundamental shift in Gulf regional dynamics. Saudi Arabia's assertive push for a regional security bloc, including negotiations to expand the Saudi-Pakistan defense pact to Turkey, signals a strategic move to counterbalance UAE influence. This alliance aims to deter UAE-backed actors in Yemen and the Horn of Africa, especially amid the UAE's setbacks in Yemen's strategic projects and Somalia's recent cancellation of UAE agreements. The language used by Riyadh indicates a deepening rivalry, with Saudi officials emphasizing responsibility for Yemen's stability and regional security. Meanwhile, the UAE's influence is waning, as its ambitions in Yemen and the Horn face resistance from Saudi-led regional alignments. The potential Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact, if realized, will serve as a significant geopolitical counterweight, reducing the UAE's unilateral influence and reshaping regional power balances. The developments in Yemen, including Saudi military activity in Hadramout and the shifting allegiances of local forces, underscore the broader contest for regional dominance. The strategic projects, such as the proposed oil pipeline through Yemen, highlight the importance of control over key maritime routes and energy corridors. Overall, this escalation indicates a move toward a more polarized Gulf, with regional alliances becoming more formalized and competition intensifying, which will likely influence regional stability and security for years to come.**
What the papers say
The Japan Times reports that tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have escalated, with Saudi media increasing rhetoric against its eastern neighbor, and some companies preparing contingency plans amid potential escalation. The New Arab highlights Saudi's push for a regional security pact involving Pakistan and Turkey, emphasizing that negotiations are advanced but not yet finalized, and that this move is partly aimed at containing Israel's regional assertiveness. All Africa notes that Saudi Arabia's language toward the UAE signals deepening unease, with regional alliances forming to counter UAE influence, especially in Yemen and the Horn of Africa. The New Arab also details the recent diplomatic shifts, including Somalia's cancellation of UAE agreements and Egypt's increased military engagement in Somalia, driven by fears of Israel's growing influence and regional security concerns. These contrasting perspectives underscore the strategic contest between Gulf powers, with Saudi seeking to consolidate regional security and influence, while the UAE faces setbacks in its regional ambitions.
How we got here
The rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE has grown over regional influence, especially in Yemen and the Horn of Africa. Saudi Arabia seeks to counter UAE's autonomous foreign policy by forging new security alliances, including with Pakistan and Turkey, and expanding its strategic projects in Yemen. The UAE has historically backed separatist movements and sought control over strategic ports and resources, but recent military and diplomatic setbacks have challenged its regional dominance.
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Common question
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What’s fueling the Saudi-UAE rivalry?
The rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE has intensified amid regional tensions, especially in Yemen and the Horn of Africa. Saudi Arabia is pushing for new security alliances and expanding its influence, while the UAE faces setbacks in its regional ambitions. This page explores the key factors driving this rivalry and what it means for the Middle East’s future.
More on these topics
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Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula.
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The United Arab Emirates, sometimes simply called the Emirates, is a sovereign state in Western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south and west, as well as sharing m
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Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is the second-largest Arab sovereign state in the peninsula, occupying 527,970 square kilometres.
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Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country with a population exceeding 212.2 million. It is the 33rd-largest country by area, spanning 881,913 square kilometres.
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Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe.