The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ceased supplying weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, following objections from the United States. This decision was communicated by the White House to US senators on Tuesday, marking a significant development in the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
This move comes after Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced legislation on November 21 seeking to block US arms sales to the UAE unless it could be verified that they were not arming the RSF. Van Hollen and Representative Sara Jacobs filed resolutions of disapproval in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.
In a letter dated December 18 to Senator Van Hollen, White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk, stated that the UAE assured the administration it “is not now transferring any weapons to the RSF and will not do so going forward.” McGurk also committed to providing an updated assessment of the UAE’s compliance by January 17 after “monitoring for indicators of the credibility and reliability of these assurances.”
Allegations and Denials
The alleged support of the UAE for the RSF has been a contentious issue. Both the Sudanese army and UN experts have accused the UAE of providing arms and support to the paramilitary group, which has been engaged in conflict with the Sudanese army for over 18 months.
Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied its involvement in arming the paramilitary force or supporting its leader Hemedti. However, the evidence suggests otherwise and the UAE’s dark role in the war has become an “open secret”.
This recent development is significant as it appears to be the first Emirati admission of supplying the RSF.
The UAE’s involvement in Sudan highlights a broader pattern in this sheikhdom’s foreign policy in the last decade: aligning with local forces to secure geopolitical and economic interests across the Middle East and east Africa.
According to UN experts, the UAE established logistical operations to send weapons to the Rapid Support Forces through its networks in Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda. Armaments and supplies were disguised as humanitarian aid.
Gold has been one of the main drivers of the Sudan conflict. It allows both parties to fuel their war machines. The UAE is the main beneficiary of this trade. It receives nearly all the gold smuggled from Sudan and has become a hub for laundering trafficked gold into the global market. The latest available statistics show that, officially, the UAE imported precious metals from Sudan valued at about US$2.3 billion in 2022.
Additionally, the UAE imports 90% of its food supply. Since the global food crisis in 2007, the UAE has made food security one of its highest priorities and started investing in farmlands abroad.
International Reactions
Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali Yousif demanded on Tuesday that the UAE halt its support for the RSF and pay reparations for damages caused by the conflict as preconditions for dialogue. Yousif emphasized that ending military and logistical support to the RSF was at the top of Sudan’s list of demands, which also included a commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty and compensation for the Sudanese people.
Sudan has accused the UAE of providing the RSF with advanced weaponry, including drones and missile systems, enabling it to withstand government forces for 20 months. Sudan has lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council and the African Union over these issues.
Mediation Efforts
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has offered to mediate between Sudan and the UAE. Erdogan recently helped resolve a dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia, boosting Ankara’s influence in the Horn of Africa.
Despite Abu Dhabi’s denials, there is ample evidence that the UAE has been supplying weapons and ammunition to the RSF. Reports indicate that Dubai has been a key destination for the RSF’s gold smuggling, providing financial lifelines to the militia. Allegations also suggest that the UAE has covertly provided weapons to the RSF under the guise of humanitarian aid and has supplied UAE-manufactured armored vehicles outfitted with French-designed defense systems.
The UAE’s interventionist strategy in Sudan, similar to its actions in Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict and in Libya, reflects its ambitions to shape the political and economic trajectory of the region. The UAE’s support, combined with investments in mining and agriculture, underscores a calculated bid to exert influence in Sudan.
The UAE has been supplying arms to both sides since 2014. These supplies reportedly include small arms, ammunition, and armored vehicles. The UAE has also reportedly trained members of the RSF in the use of these weapons. Notably, weapons supplied to both sides include Zastava-produced M05 rifles, Nimr Ajbans armored vehicles for the RSF, and Calidus MCAV for the Sudanese Army. Footage has also emerged of thermobaric shells and drones supplied by the UAE to the RSF, with markings suggesting they were manufactured in Serbia in 2020 and later supplied to the UAE.
International Concerns
The UAE’s role in conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, and Libya has raised concerns about its regional ambitions and the impact on the stability of these countries. The UAE’s actions have drawn criticism from other nations, including the United States, which has expressed concerns over the UAE’s human rights record.