By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Sudan says it has severed diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an action that follows repeated accusations against the Gulf nation of providing support to the rival paramilitary organisation, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in the country’s civil war that has lasted over two years.
Sudan’s Defence Minister, Yassin Ibrahim, on Tuesday accused the UAE of violating his country’s sovereignty through its “proxy”, the RSF.
The military transitional government has also accused the RSF of being responsible for three days of escalated attacks on the usually peaceful city of Port Sudan.
The UAE has absolved itself of any blame in the alleged financial backing, military and political support to the paramilitary force.
The conflict, which began in April 2023, has led to the killing of thousands of people, forced millions from their homes, and created what the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
In implementing the cutting of diplomatic ties, the Sudanese ambassador will be withdrawn from the UAE and the Sudanese embassy in the UAE shut down.
Over the past three days, drone strikes have hit an international airport, a major power station and a hotel in Port Sudan. The army has accused the RSF of being behind the assault, but the paramilitary group is yet to comment on the matter.
Both UK and the US have implicated the UAE in separate appeals urging foreign countries to stop backing Sudan’s warring parties.
However, on Monday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dismissed Sudan’s case against the UAE, in which it accused the Gulf state of complicity in genocide.
The UN court in The Hague ruled that the case could not proceed because the UAE had opted out of Article 9 of the Genocide Convention, which means it cannot be sued by other states over genocide allegations.
Reem Ketait, the UAE’s Deputy Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, said the court’s decision was “clear and decisive”.
“The international community must focus urgently on ending this devastating war and supporting the Sudanese people, and it must demand humanitarian aid reaches all those in need,” she said.
