The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reportedly building a new military force similar to France’s foreign forces, according to international defense analysts Intelligence Online.
These forces will consist of at least 3,000 foreign recruits and aim to strengthen the military power of the UAE.
A former French special forces officer is leading the initiative, and recruitment is planned between mid-2024 and 2025.
The recruitment process, run by an Abu Dhabi company, promises well-paid jobs to young recruits. and it shows a significant change in the defense strategy of the United Arab Emirates.
The new forces named “Foreign Legion” of the UAE are said to be deployed in Yemen and Somalia, where the UAE has special interests, but they face many security challenges.
The UAE’s operation in East Africa, especially in the military and economic fields, has been the cornerstone of its foreign policy. The United Arab Emirates has already been involved in training Somali soldiers and establishing military bases and participating in humanitarian and economic infrastructure projects.
Analysts say the plan is in line with the UAE’s broader goal of strengthening the region and countering regional threats, particularly Iran-backed groups such as the Houthi movement in Yemen and groups such as al-Shabaab in Somalia.
The United Arab Emirates has recently been criticized for its support to the Sudanese army, the RSF, in the war they are fighting against the Sudanese army.
The United Arab Emirates has strongly denied that it is arming the RSF despite a secret report by the United Nations saying that it has credible evidence.
The establishment of a foreign group in the UAE also raises questions about the changing nature of international military cooperation and private military contracts.
The UAE government’s direct recruitment of foreign soldiers for an indefinite period represents new trends in international defense relations and mercenary practices.
