Africa’s historic resistance to foreign mercenaries, enshrined in the 1977 Convention of the Organization of African Unity, is now under direct threat. In North Darfur, Sudanese officials and local witnesses are reporting a disturbing wave of violence allegedly carried out by Colombian mercenaries hired by the United Arab Emirates. These fighters are said to be involved in the killing of civilians, triggering outrage across the region.
This is not the first time the UAE has been accused of deploying foreign fighters. In 2015, the Emirates secretly transported Colombian mercenaries to Yemen. Today, a similar model is being deployed inside Africa itself, raising fresh concerns about external meddling in the continent’s internal conflicts.
What makes the situation even more complex is the suspected logistical support being offered through Somalia’s Puntland region. Sudanese authorities have accused Puntland leaders of facilitating the UAE’s covert operations by allowing Bosaso to serve as a transit hub for both mercenaries and weapons. According to Sudanese intelligence, this corridor is being used to funnel foreign fighters and illegal arms into Sudan, with disastrous consequences for the people of North Darfur.
But mercenaries are not the UAE’s only interest in the region. The Emirates is also expanding its economic footprint, particularly in the extraction of gold in Puntland. According to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Somalia recently exported an astonishing $246 million worth of gold—most of it to the UAE. Analysts believe this figure combines both Puntland and Somalia’s broader trade data. Given Puntland’s known gold reserves and its increasingly porous security landscape, many suspect the bulk of this gold originates from the northern part of Puntland.
The overlap of economic exploitation and covert military activity paints a grim picture. While civilians bleed in North Darfur, millions of dollars’ worth of gold are being extracted from Somali soil and shipped out to the Emirates. The silence from regional and continental bodies only sharpens the sense of betrayal felt by many Africans.
Africa cannot afford to remain passive. The use of mercenaries, the looting of natural resources, and the collaboration of local actors with foreign powers must be addressed. Bosaso must not become the gateway through which Africa is destabilized once again.
The Sudanese government is calling for immediate action to close down the Bosaso corridor. It is also demanding accountability from those within Africa who are aiding foreign agendas. According to Khartoum, the bloodshed in Sudan will not stop as long as that corridor remains operational and as long as African elites continue to sell out their nations for personal gain.
Africa’s leaders, civil societies, and regional institutions must confront the reality: modern imperialism has not disappeared. It has simply changed form. It arrives not with flags and armies, but with chartered flights, mineral contracts, and foreign contractors.
The continent must rise. The struggle against imperialism must continue. The betrayal must end.
