Is the UAE Finally Turning Its Back on Sudan’s Notorious RSF Militia?
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is facing a moment of reckoning in Sudan. After years of backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of heinous atrocities, the UAE is now publicly admitting its policy mistakes. But is this admission enough to undo the damage?
Anwar Gargash, the UAE’s senior diplomat, recently acknowledged that the UAE and other nations erred by not imposing sanctions on the architects of the 2021 coup. This coup, orchestrated jointly by the RSF and the Sudanese army, toppled the country’s fragile civilian government. Gargash’s statement marks a significant shift, as the UAE had previously actively undermined efforts to establish a strong civilian democracy in Sudan following the 2019 uprising that ousted Omar al-Bashir’s 30-year dictatorship.
And this is the part most people miss... The UAE, alongside Saudi Arabia, had sought to bolster the military’s role while sidelining civilian rule. They even advocated for RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, to oversee economic policy. A $3 billion loan to the transitional military council further tilted the scales against civilian governance. When the civilian government gained the upper hand in late 2019, the loan payments were abruptly halted, a move analysts argue directly contributed to the 2021 coup and the subsequent civil war.
But here’s where it gets controversial... Despite mounting evidence of the UAE’s covert support for the RSF, including arms supplies, the UAE denies any wrongdoing. It claims to be a victim of disinformation spread by Islamists within the Sudanese army and left-wing NGOs. The UAE insists it seeks a return to civilian rule and portrays itself as a neutral mediator. Yet, its actions, such as condemning the RSF’s atrocities in El Fasher while blaming the army for the violence, raise questions about its sincerity.
The UAE’s interests in Sudan extend beyond politics. Sudan’s natural resources, particularly gold, are a major draw. Gold accounts for nearly half of Sudan’s exports, and the UAE is a primary recipient of both official and illicit gold trade. Hemedti, the RSF leader, controls many mines in Darfur through his family business, further entangling the UAE in Sudan’s conflict economy.
Is the UAE’s support for the RSF purely strategic, or is it driven by a deeper fear of Islamism? The UAE views the Muslim Brotherhood as a regional threat and has intervened in other conflicts, such as those in Libya and Yemen, to counter Islamist influence. Sudan’s strategic Red Sea location and its agricultural potential also make it a critical partner for food security in the Gulf states.
As international pressure mounts, the UAE faces a critical choice: will it genuinely distance itself from the RSF and contribute to a peaceful resolution in Sudan, or will it continue to prioritize its strategic and economic interests? The recent joint statement by the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE, calling for a humanitarian truce and a civilian-led government, is a step forward. However, talks in Washington, which have so far excluded Sudanese civilians, have yet to yield concrete results.
What do you think? Can the UAE truly be a neutral mediator in Sudan, or is its involvement too deeply rooted in its own interests? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
