The UAE has called for accountability over breaches of international law by both sides in Sudan’s conflict, during a hearing at the International Court of Justice in a case brought by the Sudanese army-led government.
Sudan's army has accused the UAE of arming the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group that has been fighting against the army in a two-year civil war. The UAE rejected the allegations as baseless and lacking any legal or factual foundation.
"The UAE has called for an unconditional ceasefire, for humanitarian pauses to facilitate the delivery of aid and for accountability for violations of international law by the two warring factions,” Reem Ketait, deputy assistant minister for political affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the court. “The UAE participates today out of respect for the court and the principles of international law and justice, even as we firmly maintain our position on jurisdiction."
"The idea that the UAE is somehow the driver of this reprehensible conflict in Sudan could not be further from the truth. At every occasion, including here today, the applicant has levelled allegations that are at best misleading, and at worst pure fabrication," she added.
Earlier on Thursday, a senior Emirati official told The National in exclusive comments that the Sudanese Armed Forces have repeatedly made false allegations against the UAE, misusing the UN Security Council to spread these claims.
“The Sudanese army’s strategy is clear: to try to damage the UAE’s reputation as a leading humanitarian partner and distract from their own atrocities, including blocking aid, denying the occurrence of famine and rejecting peace efforts,” said the UAE official.
The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 after a power struggle over integrating forces, has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 12 million and left about 25 million facing acute hunger. It has sparked ethnic attacks in several areas. UN investigators have accused the warring parties of an appalling range of human rights violations.
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has imposed sanctions on Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese army, accusing him of “destabilising Sudan and undermining the goal of a democratic transition”.
“In this war, the UAE supports no party. We're committed to restoring a civilian-led government in Sudan,” Ms Ketait told journalists before the hearings.
“We were informed yesterday that the UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1591 concerning Sudan has approved a report that did not make any negative findings against the UAE, and we understand the report will be made public over the coming days,” she said.
Arms experts following the case questioned the validity of the evidence presented by the Sudanese army. From a technical standpoint, they said the material – primarily photographs of weapons – lacked sufficient identifying details. “You don’t have a lot of information in the photos. There are no visible markings that would indicate the date or location of manufacture,” said one expert. “So, when an allegation is made based on those photos, it is often built on incomplete or inconclusive information.”
The International Court of Justice in The Hague, the UN’s highest court for resolving legal disputes between states and interpreting international treaties, held two separate hearings.
“Sudan’s army is using this as a political theatre designed to shift blame,” said the UAE official, adding that the attempt is “hypocritical, given Sudan’s long-standing non-cooperation with international law, and its refusal to hand over indicted criminals”.
Last month, the UAE said the case was “nothing more than a cynical publicity stunt aimed at diverting attention from the established complicity of the Sudanese Armed Forces in the widespread atrocities that continue to devastate Sudan and its people”.
The Emirates has emphasised its commitment to international law, respect for the sovereignty of other states and non-interference in internal affairs. It also highlighted its ongoing efforts to support peace initiatives and humanitarian assistance in Sudan.
In February, the UAE, Ethiopia, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development held a high-level humanitarian conference in Addis Ababa to mobilise urgent support for the Sudanese people. At the conference, the UAE pledged a further $200 million in humanitarian funding for Sudan – bringing its total humanitarian assistance for the country since the outbreak of war to $600 million.
The UAE has contributed more than $3.5 billion in humanitarian aid to Sudan over the past decade through partnerships and in co-ordination with other countries and parties. Ahead of the Addis Ababa conference, the UAE called for a ceasefire during Ramadan – a call that was rejected by the Sudanese army.
“We unequivocally condemn the atrocities committed by both parties and call for their immediate cessation,” wrote Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, in The National last week. “We remain committed to Africa’s development and prosperity.”
While cases at the ICJ can take years to reach a final conclusion, the court has the authority to impose provisional measures to prevent escalation during the proceedings.
