UAE Pledges Not to Arm Sudanese Paramilitary Forces Amid Humanitarian Crisis

The UAE has promised the U.S. it will not arm Sudan’s paramilitary forces amid an ongoing civil war, leading to the U.S. refraining from blocking arms sales to the UAE. Concurrently, an alarming humanitarian crisis sees millions facing hunger, exacerbated by the conflict. U.S. lawmakers emphasize the importance of monitoring UAE compliance with its assurances.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has assured the United States that it will not supply arms to Sudanese paramilitary forces engaged in the ongoing civil conflict, as communicated to U.S. lawmakers. This commitment comes in the wake of the U.S. announcing an additional $200 million in humanitarian aid for Sudan, where the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate, resulting in tens of thousands of fatalities since the escalation of fighting in April 2023.

Senator Chris Van Hollen disclosed this assurance in a letter received from the White House, which stated that the UAE has confirmed it is not transferring any weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and will refrain from doing so in the future. This declaration led Van Hollen and his colleagues to retract their efforts to block a $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE, which had generated concerns over the UAE’s involvement with the RSF.

The White House’s coordinator on Middle East policy, Brett McGurk, pledged to provide a credibility assessment of the UAE’s assurances by January 17, ahead of the presidential transition. Van Hollen commended the administration’s involvement and emphasized the United States’ obligation to leverage its influence towards negotiating peace in Sudan.

Simultaneously, fellow Democrat Sara Jacobs underscored the significance of monitoring the UAE’s compliance with these assurances, asserting that diminished support from the UAE would weaken the RSF’s combat capabilities, thereby fostering conditions for potential negotiations. Reports from U.N. experts have raised serious allegations of the UAE providing weapons to the RSF, igniting concerns during a crucial humanitarian crisis as approximately 1.7 million people face extreme hunger across Sudan. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the importance of heightened global attention to the dire humanitarian conditions that are exacerbating in Sudan with citizens resorting to extreme measures for survival.

The situation in Sudan remains dire, with the majority of the conflict being concentrated in Darfur, where the RSF has gained control over vast areas while regular armed forces maintain limited control over other regions. The urgent need for comprehensive humanitarian assistance persists as the conflict continues to claim lives and devastate communities in the region.

The conflict in Sudan has erupted into a brutal civil war, particularly marked by the involvement of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that has been accused of severe human rights violations. The UAE’s involvement with these forces has raised alarm in the United States, prompting legislative action aimed at regulating arms sales to the Gulf state. Amid this tension, the U.S. government is striving to ensure that its foreign military sales do not exacerbate the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan.

The UAE’s commitment not to arm Sudan’s paramilitary forces represents a significant diplomatic development amidst the humanitarian disaster in Sudan, where millions are suffering from famine and violence. Continued scrutiny and assurance from the UAE are necessary for the U.S. lawmakers to feel confident in proceeding with arms sales. The urgent humanitarian situation in Sudan demands immediate global attention and adequate support to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.

Original Source: www.al-monitor.com