UAE denies involvement in Sudan war, calls for end to foreign military support

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has stressed that it is not involved in Sudan’s civil war and has not supplied weapons or related materiel to any party since the conflict began in April 2023, responding to the latest report by a United Nations-mandated fact-finding mission.

In a statement on the report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, the UAE’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Geneva said the country remained committed to international law and to UN mechanisms investigating serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

The UAE said it had engaged with the fact-finding mission “in a transparent and substantive manner”, and noted that the report welcomed its commitment to compliance with international law and highlighted its continued provision of humanitarian assistance to Sudan.

The report also took note of the UAE’s domestic legal and regulatory frameworks designed to ensure impartial investigations and hold private actors accountable for unlawful conduct, according to the statement.

“The UAE reiterates that it is not involved in the civil war in Sudan, nor has it provided arms or any related materiel to any party in Sudan since the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023,” the mission said.

The UAE also strongly condemned violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law committed by both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

The country reaffirmed its commitment to its obligations under the sanctions regime established by the UN Security Council, including measures imposed on designated individuals and entities.

It also called for the existing arms embargo to be extended across the whole of Sudan and for all forms of external military support to the warring parties to end without exception.

The UAE renewed its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, an urgent humanitarian truce and a comprehensive political process led by civilians and independent of both warring parties and extremist groups.

The UAE mission also stressed that allegations concerning the conflict should be assessed through an objective, impartial and evidence-based methodology.

It said information should be carefully verified, independently corroborated and assessed against consistent evidentiary standards, adding that it would continue an open and constructive dialogue with the UN fact-finding mission.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan was established by the UN Human Rights Council in October 2023 to investigate alleged human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law and related crimes stemming from the conflict that erupted on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces and other warring parties.

In its latest report, the fact-finding mission said Sudan’s government had not cooperated with its investigation despite repeated requests for engagement.