By Yousef Saba

DUBAI, Dec 31 - The United Arab Emirates has pursued an assertive foreign policy and carved its own sphere of influence across the Middle East and Africa, a strategy in the spotlight after a rare military escalation with Saudi Arabia in Yemen this week.

Abu Dhabi has used alliances with states or proxies, military intervention and financial support mainly to counter what it views as the destabilising threat of political Islam, specifically from groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Senior Emirati officials have described the strategy as strengthening nation-states against extremists, though U.N. experts and Western officials have asserted that the approach has at times fuelled conflict, a charge the UAE denies, and critics say it bolsters authoritarian leaders.

Here are details of the UAE's involvement in key countries:

YEMEN

The UAE announced a withdrawal of its troops from Yemen in 2019, but has maintained influence through the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group it trained and equipped.

It views the STC as a bulwark against the Islah party, a key faction in the Saudi-backed government of Yemen that the UAE regards as a Muslim Brotherhood offshoot, and as a partner in securing maritime access.

EGYPT

Abu Dhabi has been Cairo's most important financial backer since Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the military overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood government in 2013, viewing a secular Egypt as a........

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