Today's Edition
ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)
The UAE said on Tuesday that a new United Nations report had laid to rest false accusations it was fuelling Sudan’s civil war, calling instead for renewed focus on diplomacy and humanitarian relief.
In a statement issued by its Permanent Mission to the UN, the UAE commented on the findings of the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan, which it said confirmed what the country had maintained from the beginning - that it had no role in supplying arms or fuelling the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
"The report provides no support for the SAF's unsubstantiated allegations. It does not make a single finding against the UAE," Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, the UAE's Permanent Representative to the UN, said.
According to the statement, the report highlighted "widespread atrocities" committed by both the SAF and RSF, including attacks on civilians, conflict-related sexual violence and weaponisation of humanitarian aid.
The SAF had previously accused the UAE of stoking the Sudan conflict - a claim the country has repeatedly rejected - and initiated court proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) earlier this year.
Abushahab said that SAF's "baseless accusations" against the UAE aim to divert the international community's attention away from "their own atrocities, including the use of chemical weapons."
The statement added that the UAE continues to urge both the SAF and the RSF to end the fighting without pre-conditions, commit to peace talks, and allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians.
Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, echoed the call, describing the findings as a "debunking" of the SAF's allegations and urging earnest negotiations for a civilian-led government.
"UN Security Council's final report on Sudan exposes grave violations by warring parties and debunks false SAF accusations against the UAE. We call for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, serious peace talks, unhindered humanitarian aid and independent civilian government," Gargash said in a post on X, published on Tuesday.
No Mention of UAE Military Involvement
According to Reuters, which reviewed a copy of the UN report submitted to the Security Council earlier this month, the UAE was only mentioned in the context of its "its peacekeeping role in Sudan," it said on Tuesday.
A separate article, published by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Tuesday, said that the Panel had found "no verifiable evidence" to support "the baseless allegations and false narratives circulated by the SAF."
According to WAM, the report emphasised that the UAE had maintained full compliance with international law and the UN Charter, contrasting this with what it described as attempts by the SAF to smear the UAE's reputation "in a bid to conceal the crimes and violations committed against civilians in Sudan."
The UN Panel's findings come after months of accusations from SAF loyalists, who alleged foreign support for the RSF as fighting intensified in Darfur and other parts of Sudan. The UAE consistently denied the charges, saying its engagement in Sudan was focused on humanitarian aid, peacekeeping, and calls for a political solution.
The Sudan conflict, now in its second year, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, with no clear path yet towards a negotiated settlement.
The UAE's mission said the UN report should serve as a turning point.
"The international community must unify its efforts behind a credible political process that leads to a civilian-led government, independent from the military, and ultimately to lasting peace and stability for the Sudanese people," Abushahab's statement said.
