The Two Banks Network The UAE s Five Key Influence Apparatus on the Coasts of Yemen and the Horn of Africa Special Analysis

The Yemeni war has evolved from a purely internal struggle over power or territory into a strategic laboratory reshaping the regions balance of power. Through its involvement in the Arab Coalition, the UAE did not confine itself to a direct military role. Instead, it developed a new model of influence based on controlling ports and maritime corridors, creating a network that stretches from the Yemeni coasts to the Horn of Africa.

This approach has transformed the Red Sea and Arabian Sea into a continuous sphere of influence, where Abu Dhabi employs a geopolitical logic that turns islands and ports into tools of control as much as trade corridors.

UN documents and analyses from research centers such as the International Crisis Group (ICG) and Stratfor indicate that the UAE treats the sea not as a natural boundary but as a bridge for influence. Since 2015, it has quietly constructed a network of bases, ports, and local and international partnerships.

A 2022 Stratfor report notes: The UAE is building an undeclared maritime influence network stretching from the Gulf of Aden to Berbera, managed through local proxies and interlocking security structures.

This analysis examines the network as an integrated system with five operational keys: the Source in Shabwa and Marrah, the Lip at Balhaf, the Tower at Al-Riyan, the Central Switchboard at Perim (Native name: Mayyun),and the Workshop at Mocha. A land-sea influence network managed by Abu Dhabi via local proxies revolves around these nodes, extending to the African coast with positions in Assab and Berbera. Through this interconnected map, the sea emerges not as a backdrop to Yemeni events but as the engine of regional power politics.

This system is grounded in the philosophy of “influence by proxy”—managing interests through local partners who provide political and operational cover while Abu Dhabi