The African Union (AU) has firmly stated it will not tolerate any external meddling in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, following allegations that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been supplying arms to a paramilitary group. The civil war, which erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of around 13 million people, destabilising not only Sudan but the wider East African region.
Tensions escalated last week when Sudan cut diplomatic ties with the UAE, accusing it of funnelling weapons to the RSF. Amnesty International echoed these claims, asserting that the UAE’s actions violated a United Nations arms embargo. The UAE has denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the allegations as unfounded.
Speaking on Monday, the African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf reaffirmed the organisation’s stance on non-interference. “The AU Commission will not accept any interference in the internal affairs of Sudan. Member states are sovereign, and we will not support any intervention,” he said during a statement from Addis Ababa.
Youssouf, a former foreign minister of Djibouti who assumed the AU leadership in February, refrained from commenting directly on the accusations against the UAE, saying it was up to Sudan to present any supporting evidence. The Sudanese civil war has been a key concern for Youssouf since taking office, with the conflict effectively dividing the nation in two. The army maintains control over the central, eastern and northern regions, while the RSF dominates much of Darfur in the west and certain southern areas.
Both factions have been accused of perpetrating war crimes throughout the conflict. In a worrying development, the Sudanese army has recently reported an increase in drone attacks allegedly carried out by the RSF, particularly targeting key locations in Port Sudan. The port city, now functioning as the temporary seat of government and a crucial hub for humanitarian aid, has seen strategic facilities come under repeated aerial assault.
In February, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for an end to the influx of weapons into the embattled country, underscoring the urgent need to de-escalate the violence.
