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

By Al Jazeera staff. Published On 13 Oct 202613 Oct 2026.

What happened

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – As renewed fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region threatens to destabilise the Horn of Africa, public backing by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of Ethiopia's federal administration and Saudi Arabia's record of regional diplomacy are drawing scrutiny.

Both Gulf powers have strategic interests in the Horn of Africa, but their roles differ. The UAE has publicly backed Ethiopia's administration while Saudi Arabia has previously assisted broker an Ethiopia-Eritrea rapprochement and was documented to have offered to mediate between the two countries in 2025.

The bottom line

For now, ethiopia's Tigray war: Where do the UAE and Saudi Arabia stand? Remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.