New Evidence Reveals UAE’s Violation of Arms Embargo in Sudan
French Military Equipment in Sudan: A Violation of UN Arms Embargo
An international organization revealed that French military equipment is being used in Emirati armored vehicles in Sudan, constituting a “violation of the United Nations arms embargo” on the Darfur region.
Amnesty International stated: “Our research shows that weapon systems designed and manufactured in France are being used on the battlefield in Sudan to support armed militias and fuel the country’s civil war.”
The organization highlighted that Ajban armored personnel carriers, manufactured by the UAE’s Edge Group, are being utilized by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, potentially in Darfur. These vehicles are equipped with the French-made Galix self-protection system, designed by KNDS and Lacroix, as evidenced by destroyed vehicles documented by Amnesty International.
UAE’s Growing Role in Sudan’s Civil War
The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti), has intensified since April 2023. Both sides have been accused of war crimes, while over 11 million people have been displaced, with the UN describing this as the world’s worst displacement crisis.
The UAE has emerged as the most invested foreign player in Sudan’s civil war. With its strategic location and abundant resources, Sudan presents an opportunity for the UAE to expand its geopolitical influence in the Middle East and East Africa. Since 2018, the UAE has invested over $6 billion in Sudan, including projects in agriculture, foreign reserves in the Sudanese Central Bank, and the construction of a Red Sea port.
Furthermore, the UAE has supported the RSF, paying and recruiting Sudanese fighters, primarily from the RSF, for its campaigns in Yemen. Evidence suggests that the UAE has supplied arms to the RSF, violating the UN arms embargo, despite repeated denials.
Sudan’s conflict highlights complex geopolitical maneuvers. The UAE and Russia have collaborated in supporting the RSF, with Wagner Group playing a central role since 2017, especially in resource extraction in Darfur.
The RSF has secured Emirati interests, particularly in gold and agriculture, with Sudanese gold often smuggled to the UAE, a key global hub for this trade.
The UAE has also utilized the RSF to secure food security initiatives, as 90% of its food supply is imported. Emirati companies cultivate over 50,000 hectares in Sudan, shipping agricultural products via the Red Sea. To bypass Sudan’s government-run port, the UAE signed a deal in 2022 to construct a new port managed by Abu Dhabi Ports Group.
This intricate web of alliances demonstrates the UAE’s strategy of leveraging local forces to secure its geopolitical and economic interests, prolonging Sudan’s devastating conflict.
