The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has assured the United States that it will cease providing weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group embroiled in the country’s devastating civil war, US lawmakers announced on Thursday.
The pledge came during heightened criticism in Washington and coincided with a US announcement of $200 million in new humanitarian aid for Sudan, where fighting since April 2023 has claimed tens of thousands of lives and left millions displaced.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, revealed that the UAE’s assurances were outlined in a letter from Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for Middle East policy.
“Despite reports we have received suggesting the contrary has occurred to date, the UAE has informed the administration that it is not now transferring any weapons to the RSF and will not do so going forward,” the letter stated. However, McGurk noted that an assessment of the credibility and reliability of this commitment would be completed by January 17, 2025.
Van Hollen and Representative Sara Jacobs, who spearheaded parallel efforts in the Senate and House of Representatives, agreed to drop a bid to block a $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE. They warned, however, that future non-compliance could revive their opposition.
“The United States must leverage all tools to promote peace in Sudan,” Van Hollen said, adding that continued monitoring of the UAE’s actions was essential.
Jacobs echoed this sentiment, stating that curtailing RSF’s weapon supply could push warring factions toward negotiations and a ceasefire.
The conflict in Sudan has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The World Food Program reported that 1.7 million Sudanese are either experiencing famine or are at immediate risk. In some areas, people have resorted to eating grass and peanut shells to survive.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for urgent international attention to the crisis at a UN Security Council meeting. The UN estimates that $4.2 billion will be needed to support Sudan in 2024, but current aid levels fall woefully short.
The RSF now dominates most of Darfur and parts of Kordofan and central Sudan. Meanwhile, the regular army holds the north and east, with Khartoum and surrounding cities remaining active conflict zones.
The UAE has previously denied arming the RSF, despite UN experts citing credible accusations that weapons were funneled through Chad. During the Trump administration, the UAE pursued advanced US weapons deals, including F-35 jets, in exchange for recognizing Israel. However, many of these deals stalled under President Biden, who vowed stricter oversight of arms sales.
As Sudan faces mounting challenges, the international community remains under pressure to act decisively to alleviate the suffering and promote lasting peace.
