Strategically situated on the Red Sea and richly endowed with natural resources, Sudan has been a focal point of political intrigue in recent times. Underpinning the intrigue is an allegation which fueled regional tensions: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been accused by Sudan and others, and by other countries as well, of supporting the RSF, an armed militia fighting the country’s national army in a violent conflict. The UAE strongly denied the charges, but they continue to echo, raising questions regarding Abu Dhabi’s activities in Sudan and broader strategic goals.
Sudan was devastated by fierce battles between the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, popularly known as Hemeti, and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, for almost two years. The roots of the war date back to October 2021, when the two generals attempted a coup to oust Sudan’s transitional government, leading to anarchy in the nation. What was initially a deal to share power quickly deteriorated into fierce battles that claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.
In all this uncertainty, external actors have been accused of stoking tensions by supporting opposite sides. One is the UAE with constant accusations that it maintains ties to the RSF. Abu Dhabi’s support to Hemeti’s forces is depicted by critics as an attempt to play a strategic game to gain influence in Sudan, taking advantage of the nation’s natural resources and geographical location near the Red Sea—a most important shipping lane for global oil resources.
For the UAE, hence, the setup in Sudan has many implications that can hardly be interpreted from the economic and investment angle concerning the country’s vast agricultural and mineral wealth and energy reserves. The third-largest producer of gold in Africa, Sudan further has monumental economic potentials. The country has a long coastline that connects a number of important maritime routes, thus making it an artery for trade and security in the region.
It is also possible to talk about the geographic aspects of Sudan, holding in itself within the borders given in the presence of other international geopolitical flashpoints. In addition, Sudan has Libya in the North, where UAE helps the rebel authorities complete the agreement according to Khalifa Haftar, further entrenching Abu Dhabi’s profile in North Africa. Alliance building within Sudan is another feature in the UAE power projection across the continent to counter competitive influences coming from Turkey, Iran, and Russia, all of which are also accused of interference in Sudanese affairs.
Although much of the UAE-RSF relationship remains speculative, circumstantial evidence has lead to allegations of collaboration. Other sources have reported that Emirati entities may have offered financial or logistical assistance to Hemeti’s forces while they were being consolidated into a formidable military faction. Hemeti himself is no saint; his association with the RSF, which drew its evil heritage from the Janjaweed militias responsible for several war crimes during the Darfur civil war, has invited much condemnation.
According to critics, the UAE sees Hemeti as a practical partner who will promote Abu Dhabi’s interests in exchange for patronage. Such arrangements support the broader UAE strategy of partnering with Middle Eastern and African strongmen rather than with democratic governance-forging strategies to obtain stability or control.
The UAE denies any involvement in sparking the ongoing Sudan conflict as accusations continue to rise. Official Emirati representatives highlight their role in offering humanitarian aid which works to reduce the agony of civilians who persist in the conflict’s path. The government of Abu Dhabi maintains its innocence regarding foreign policy interventions while critics continue to question these claims given past regional actions.
The UAE attaches tremendous value to Sudan at the same time it faces serious threats from sustained instability. All international stakeholders now expect everyone involved to put proxy warfare aside in favor of achieving peace as the war extends into a prolonged state. Presently Sudan stays trapped within multiple conflicting alliances which place the UAE in the center of accountability dilemmas.
Sudan functions today as evidence of how regional disputes spread their impact over extensive international areas by attracting extra-national actors who use their power to manipulate events. The future course of action between the UAE and Sudan’s relations depends on undisclosed factors that will affect the entire African region and international community.
