How Is the UAE Trying to Sneak Up into Afghanistan?

The withdrawal of the US armed forces from Afghanistan on August 31, 2021, heralded the start of a new phase for the troubled country amidst a long occupation and civil war as the Taliban rose to power, formed the government, and set out to forge international and regional alliances.

Afghanistan, located in the heart of a strategic region in Central Asia, on the borders of China, Pakistan, and Iran, has been the focus of attention of various powers, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye.

Abu Dhabi has its own historical status in Afghanistan. Before the September 11 attacks, the UAE did not see the Taliban as a threat. Throughout the period from 1996 to 2001, the Emirati government saw the movement there as the legitimate representative of Afghanistan.

But just after the 9/11 attacks, the UAE opened its military facilities to the United States and its allies for operations against Afghanistan.

It came to the point that the UAE was the only Arab force fighting in Afghanistan, and after the fall of the Taliban, Abu Dhabi continued to cooperate with NATO there.

Even an Emirati force of 250 soldiers, by decision of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the time and the current President, Mohammed bin Zayed, was stationed in the poor villages in Uruzgan, Afghanistan, from 2003 until the American withdrawal.

Recently, the UAE has been preparing to start a third phase in relations with Afghanistan and the Taliban movement.

 

Terminals Holding

One of the most prominent tools that the UAE began to use to enhance its influence in Afghanistan is the Emirati company Terminals Holding.

On January 10, 2023, Intelligence Online published a report on the company’s role in Afghanistan.

It said that as part of Abu Dhabi’s efforts to expand in Kabul and enhance its security diplomacy, the Emirati country is working to develop the Terminals Holding aviation company, which is close to Tahnoon bin Zayed (the Emirati National Security Adviser).

It stated that on December 5, 2022, the Taliban’s Defense Minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, met with Emirati President Muhammad bin Zayed, and the discussion between them focused on restoring airports in Afghanistan.

Between September 2021 and the same month of 2022, GAAC Holding Company in Afghanistan won three 10-year concession contracts to manage the airports of Kabul, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Herat.

GAAC works to ensure that the conditions of Afghanistan’s airports comply with international security standards, but its presence is exploited by the parent company, Terminals Holding, to enhance its control over the strategic assets of its allies, according to Intelligence Online.

The Terminal was established in 2022 under the auspices of the Emirati National Security Adviser, Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

 

Exploitation of the Emirates

The Emirati incursion also came as a result of the Taliban’s relentless efforts to secure airports, as Abu Dhabi took advantage of that point, and GAAC tightened security measures related to baggage and personnel at Kabul Airport.

This is after leaving the Turkish–Qatari bloc, which was hastily established after the Taliban came to power in August 2021, and their security measures were not strict enough.

The Taliban government has sought to renovate the country’s airport infrastructure to attract international airlines to return to Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Therefore, the Emirati GAAC may use the Thales Group’s airborne radars that were received by the previous Afghan government in July 2021, that is, just one month before the fall of the previous regime, after a contract it signed with the French defense group in 2019.

This will give the UAE a role that goes beyond economic and security cooperation in airports. UAE will be able to establish complete control with intelligence dimensions. These procedures enable Abu Dhabi to monitor strategic events in Afghanistan.

 

Carefully Engaging

On January 24, 2023, the Carnegie Middle East Center discussed The UAE’s Approach to the Taliban, and dealt with how the Gulf state showed a degree of cautious and pragmatic engagement with Afghanistan and flexibility that could contribute effectively to promoting its interests in the long term.

Researcher Giorgio Cafiero said that since August 2021, the UAE has dealt with the fact that the Taliban is the only de facto government in Afghanistan, and saw in this situation an opportunity to enhance its image as a valuable partner of Western powers.

He stated that Abu Dhabi’s most important motive in consolidating relations with the Taliban comes with the fear that Qatar will increasingly impose itself in the position of the party that the West cannot dispense with in its dealings with Afghanistan.

The rulers of the Gulf state do not want to miss opportunities to exploit the current situation in Afghanistan for their interests, and at the same time, there is concern about Iran’s potential ability to gain influence there, according to the researcher.

Despite the challenges of dealing with the Taliban, it is likely that Abu Dhabi will continue to pursue a long-term strategy towards Kabul based on careful engagement throughout 2023 and beyond.

He indicated that the UAE believes refraining from doing so may result in a very high cost.

 

Important Visit

On December 4, 2022, a qualitative shift in relations between the UAE and Afghanistan emerged when UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed discussed with the acting Afghan Defense Minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, relations of cooperation and issues of common concern.

The Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) quoted the Taliban Ministry of Defense as saying that the aim of Yaqoob’s visit, who is the son of the late Taliban leader Mullah Omar, is to meet UAE leaders and Afghan citizens residing in this country and to strengthen the government’s relations with the Gulf Arab countries.

The Emirates News Agency published photos, which showed the presence of Anas Haqqani, another prominent figure in the Taliban, at the talks with the UAE leaders.

The Afghan TOLOnews channel also outlined Mullah Yaqoob’s visit to the UAE, explaining that it comes to improve relations between Kabul and Abu Dhabi and the problems facing Afghan immigrants living in the Gulf state.

The convergence between the Afghan and Emirati regimes at the present time is the result of a set of challenges.

Taliban, who returned to power 20 years after the overthrow of its previous regime, is facing a stifling financial crisis, part of which is due to America freezing Afghan assets and funds that were at the disposal of the previous government that was overthrown by the movement, so it needs Emirati support.

At the same time, the UAE is willing to regain the influence position in Afghanistan, as it is one of the countries that recognized the former Taliban government in the nineties of the twentieth century, and wants to make it a strong center to consolidate its feet in Central Asia, and to play a pivotal role in that strategic region.