Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has strongly rejected allegations that it provided Chinese-made weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in civil conflict with its military. Amnesty International released a report accusing UAE of arming RSF which is accused of conducting drone attacks against Port Sudan as well as recent drone attacks by Amnesty. Reuters +6, Wikipedia +6 and Al Jazeera +6 have all published similar stories. The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement Friday strongly refuting these allegations, asserting that their nation does not take sides in Sudan’s internal conflict and has consistently advocated for de-escalation and sustainable ceasefire agreements. They further asserted that UAE involvement has been limited to providing humanitarian aid, including deliveries directly to those impacted by ongoing violence. Al Jazeera These allegations have further frayed relations between Abu Dhabi and Sudan’s military-backed government, which severed diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi earlier this week. Defense Minister Yassin Ibrahim accused Abu Dhabi of violating Sudanese sovereignty by supporting RSF; an accusation which is categorically denied by Abu Dhabi. The RSF has been accused of using advanced weaponry, including drones, in attacks against Port Sudan that caused significant infrastructure damage and interrupted humanitarian aid operations. While they have not claimed responsibility for these attacks themselves, both international observers as well as government authorities have pointed towards them being perpetrators. Whilst no claim of responsibility has been issued from RSF itself, various international observers and observers from Sudanese have implicated it as likely perpetrator. Financial Times. Sudan recently filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging UAE violated Genocide Convention by arming RSF. Unfortunately, however, due to a reservation by UAE that restricts their authority under treaty they no longer had jurisdiction for hearing the case and dismissal has taken effect; nonetheless Sudan vows to pursue other legal avenues against UAE for violations. Wikipedia +3 AP News +3 and Reuters both reported similar events recently and Sudan plans on seeking other legal avenues against UAE to hold them accountable despite dismissal despite its loss Since April 2023, Sudan’s ongoing conflict has resulted in over 100,000 deaths and has uprooted millions. The international community has expressed grave concern at escalating violence involving foreign actors; all parties should engage in dialogue to find a peaceful resolution of this dispute. As tensions continue to escalate, the UAE maintains its role in Sudan is solely humanitarian and that it remains committed to supporting efforts aimed at creating peace and stability throughout the region.
