Sudan must not be 'safe haven' for terrorism, UAE warns

The UAE warned on Thursday that Sudan must not become a safe haven for terrorist groups and said European partners are being briefed on mediation efforts.

Lana Nusseibeh, Minister of State and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the EU, said that the Quad group – which also includes Saudi Arabia, the US and Egypt – should reiterate that it is “unacceptable” that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have weaponised food aid "across a country where so many people are in desperate need of humanitarian aid".

"Countries like the UAE have consistently provided [aid], not only throughout the course of this conflict, but in the past," she added.

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The Minister of State was speaking during a press briefing with the bloc's Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica, in Abu Dhabi.

Ms Suica stressed that the EU welcomes the UAE's role in Quad. "We think that we are on the same page there, and we are trying to see what we can do in order to keep the ceasefire," she said.

Ms Nusseibeh said that the Quad has taken the position that "Sudan, unlike in many points in its history, should not have to be determined by extremist groups or become a fragile state where terrorists find safe haven". The Quad clearly says that "there should not be a future for the Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan, and an independent civilian-led government is the future for a stable and secure Sudan".

She called a recent resolution by the European Parliament on humanitarian access in Sudan and a ceasefire "timely" and said the resolution had stressed the primacy of the Quad's efforts "to mediate an immediate humanitarian truce in Sudan, followed by a permanent ceasefire ... and a transition to an independent civilian government".

"We are briefing regularly our European counterparts on the negotiations and terms of truce," she added. The Minister of State mentioned “breakthroughs” the Quad had achieved.

“As a diplomat by nature, I try to be a little bit optimistic about mediation efforts, and I don't think the people of Sudan have any time left,” she said. “This war must stop now".

The Quad has tabled peace proposals. They envisage an initial three-month humanitarian truce followed by a longer one and a political process to determine the country's future.

“But we need the two warring parties to also understand that it is time to stop. It is good that the RSF declared a unilateral ceasefire, but for a ceasefire to hold or a truce to hold, you need both parties to commit to that. And that is the point of the Quad effort at this present time,” Ms Nusseibeh said.

The SAF has rejected the ceasefire proposal. The US has repeatedly called on both warring parties to accept the framework.

The war in Sudan is rooted in a rivalry between the RSF's Gen Mohamed Dagalo and army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, Sudan's de facto leader. Tens of thousands have been killed in the war, which has caused the world's largest displacement crisis, with more than 13 million people forced to leave their homes.

The UAE has provided $784 million in aid to the Sudanese people since the civil war broke out, making the country its second-largest donor after the US. The total value of aid provided by the UAE to the Sudanese people between 2015 and 2025 has exceeded $4.24 billion.

“We are committed to the people of Sudan. We are committed to a humanitarian truce being achieved immediately in Sudan and a ceasefire. And our EU partners are helping and supporting, and we thank them for that,” Ms Nusseibeh said.