Ethiopia’s Tigray war: Where do the UAE and Saudi Arabia stand?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is putting outside powers under scrutiny, especially the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The conflict, which threatens the 2022 Pretoria peace deal that ended the earlier war between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan forces, has raised fears of wider instability in the Horn of Africa, including possible spillover into Eritrea and neighboring areas.

According to the report, the UAE has publicly aligned itself with Ethiopia’s government. Abu Dhabi condemned attacks by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and its allies, voiced support for Ethiopia’s sovereignty and called for an end to the violence. Al Jazeera notes, however, that public statements do not show whether the UAE has military leverage or can directly shape the behavior of the fighters. The article also points to the UAE’s commercial interests in regional ports and shipping routes as part of its broader stake in stability.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, has not publicly set out a clear position on the latest fighting, the report says. Al Jazeera says Riyadh has previously tried to help reduce tensions in the region, including earlier efforts involving Ethiopia and Eritrea, but its current level of engagement is uncertain. The article adds that Saudi Arabia’s concern over Red Sea security and wider regional rivalries, including Egypt’s ties with Eritrea and its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, form part of the broader background.

Overall, the piece argues that the crisis is no longer only about Tigray. It is also a test of whether regional and Gulf powers can encourage restraint without deepening the conflict or appearing to back one side militarily.