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A recent report by the Atlas Institute for International Affairs reveals that the United Arab Emirates has been extracting gold from Yemen for over two decades. This activity has reportedly intensified since the UAE joined the Saudi-led war in Yemen in March 2015.
Published on the institute’s official website on Monday, the report states that Yemen’s gold is one of the key drivers behind the UAE’s involvement in the war-torn country. It notes that Abu Dhabi has taken an independent path within its alliance with Saudi Arabia, most notably through its support for the establishment of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in 2017, despite the STC being linked to former president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Unlike Saudi Arabia, whose primary focus has been confronting the Houthis (Ansar Allah), the UAE has adopted a broader agenda—expanding its influence in the Red Sea, securing trade routes to the Horn of Africa, and pursuing natural resources, particularly gold.
Gold Mines and Zones of Influence
The report highlights that the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council controls vast areas in southern Yemen, where some of the country’s purest gold deposits are located.
Among these sites is the Wadi Medan mine in Hadhramaut, operated by Thani Dubai Mining Company. The mine is estimated to contain 7.3 tons of confirmed gold reserves and 28.9 tons of inferred gold.
The UAE began managing security operations around the city of Mukalla in 2016—a move reflecting its strategic interest in resource-rich areas.
Government investigations have also explored mining opportunities in Aden and Hadhramaut, although some projects, such as the “Al-Hariqah” mine run by Canadian company CanTex, have stalled due to the ongoing conflict.
By 2022, only three active gold mines remained in Yemen, with at least two under Emirati control—highlighting the deep intertwining of UAE economic interests with Yemen’s precious metals sector.
The UAE and the Gold Capital
The report underlines the UAE’s role as a primary hub for exporting Yemeni gold. In 2017, Yemen’s gold exports to the UAE peaked at $374 million.
Despite fluctuations, the UAE has remained Yemen’s leading gold export destination, with a steady inflow of gold from Yemen and Sudan averaging $173 million annually.
Peace and Gold
The report concludes by stating that the UAE—initially seen as a potential peacemaker in Yemen—has deeply rooted economic interests, particularly in the country’s mineral wealth.
It emphasizes that any lasting political solution to the Yemeni conflict must include regional players like the UAE in both peace negotiations and reconstruction efforts.
Looting Began Before the War
Notably, the UAE’s ambitions to control Yemen’s gold predate the war. In 2004, during the rule of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Abu Dhabi was granted an exploration license in Wadi Medan, Hadhramaut.
The UAE began extracting gold covertly, taking advantage of weak oversight, corruption, and a lack of transparency. However, internal political tensions led opposition parties to expose the scheme in 2010, forcing the government—under political pressure—to publicly announce the Hadhramaut gold mining project.
