Weaponised Interdependence: How the UAE Monarchy is Increasing its Embeddedness in the Global Supply Chain of Technology to Ensure Regime Survival

Thus far, the UAE has been highly successful in its endeavours, culminating in the Major Defence Partner designation. However, there are challenges.

At the beginning of September, I wrote Weaponised Interdependence: How Israel Used its Embeddedness in the Global Supply Chain to Discipline the Region to discuss how Israel is leveraging its position in the global supply chain to wage war in the region. However, Israel is not the only country utilising its position in the global supply chain to ensure regime survival.

As another small nation in the region, the UAE has sought to increasingly position itself within the global supply chain of several critical industries, such as semiconductors, for national security reasons. On the surface, the UAE claims these advancements are driven by its desire to diversify its economy as part of its vision to reduce its carbon footprint, given the nation’s heavy reliance on energy exports.

In reality, however, the UAE rulers are concerned that ongoing changes in the global balance of power and economy may render their regime survival more precarious, as monarchies are often viewed as outdated. Consequently, like Saudi Arabia, the UAE is attempting to redefine its role within the global supply chain to secure the political economy of regime survival. By embedding itself in future technology industries, the UAE is seeking to position itself as a valuable partner for emerging powers, particularly BRICS. The UAE is also seeking integration within the supply chains of Western nations, particularly the US, to secure defence agreements that will ensure regime survival.

In this context, two days ago, President Biden recognised the UAE as a Major Defence Partner of the United States, a designation shared only with India. This move aims to enhance defence cooperation and security in the Middle East, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean regions. The designation will facilitate advanced cooperation through joint training, exercises, and military-to-military collaboration between the armed forces of the US, the UAE, and India, alongside other common military partners, to promote US regional dominance. It will also ensure the UAE’s systems are interoperable with those of the US through the provision of advanced defence articles and services, and explore potential UAE investment in America’s most advanced defence systems.