Sudan Envoy Urges UK To Pressure UAE Over RSF Support

Sudan’s ambassador to the United Kingdom has urged Britain to take action against the United Arab Emirates over its alleged support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which he accused of fuelling the country’s devastating civil war.

Ambassador Babiker Al-Siddiq Mohamed Al-Amin made the appeal as Sudanese communities in Britain accused foreign powers of prolonging the conflict through military, financial and political support for the warring parties.

The UAE has repeatedly denied allegations that it provides military support to the RSF, the paramilitary group fighting Sudan’s armed forces.

However, allegations of Emirati support for the RSF have remained a major international concern. The UK government has acknowledged that the UAE is among countries it has raised concerns with over their role in the conflict.

Speaking amid growing calls for international action, the Sudanese ambassador urged the British government to use its influence to pressure Abu Dhabi to stop any assistance to the RSF.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF began in April 2023 after a dispute over the integration of the paramilitary force into Sudan’s regular army.

The fighting has since developed into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions displaced and civilians facing widespread hunger, violence and loss of essential services.

The UK government says 33 million people in Sudan currently need humanitarian assistance.

Britain has repeatedly called on countries supplying, funding or otherwise fuelling the conflict to stop their support and has urged both sides to agree to a ceasefire and return to negotiations.

The UK has also imposed sanctions on individuals and entities accused of financing and supplying the warring parties, including networks linked to the conflict’s gold trade and procurement activities.

The ambassador’s appeal comes as international pressure grows over external involvement in Sudan’s war, with the United States also pushing for stronger United Nations sanctions against the rival factions and calling on countries to halt military support to both sides.

Sudanese authorities and diaspora groups have continued to call for foreign governments to use their influence to end the flow of weapons and other support to the combatants, arguing that external backing is making a negotiated end to the war more difficult.