Date: Sunday, 23 June 2024
The UN Security Council witnessed a heated exchange Tuesday between Sudan's Ambassador to the UN, Al-Harith Idriss al-Harith, and his UAE counterpart, Mohamed Abushahab. The clash centered on allegations of UAE support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in their ongoing conflict with the Sudanese army (SAF).
Speaking during the meeting, Al-Harith went on the offensive, claiming the UAE's current standing owed to historical Sudanese support. He urged the council to “name and shame” the UAE until the devastating war ends. He said:
“When Sudan was supporting countries and liberation movements, the UAE was not mentioned in history or on the world map. Therefore, we know its evil, and we are the ones who established its glory, established its modern heritage, and its modern renaissance with our arms and our mental abilities. I ask your esteemed council to deliberate courageously and take the final step, which is to name and shame the UAE until the war stops.”
The Sudan Armed Forces have accused the UAE of providing weapons and logistical support to the RSF, claims bolstered by UN reports of UAE arms shipments to the RSF via Sudan’s western neighbor, Chad.
UAE’s Ambassador Mohamed dismissed the claims as “false allegations” and accused Sudan of refusing to resume ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia. He emphasized the UAE's significant humanitarian aid to Sudan and urged the SAF to end the conflict which he said they “started.”
“Mr. President, I thank you for giving me the floor to respond to the ludicrous allegations made by the representative of Sudan, who represents the Sudanese Armed Forces, one of the warring parties in Sudan. At the outset, the United Arab Emirates expresses its deep concern over the tragic consequences of the worsening conflict on the brotherly Sudanese people.
“Yesterday, the UAE announced that it is allocating another 70 million U.S. dollars in aid to Sudan through key partners and U.N. agencies, with a further 30 million U.S. dollars to support neighboring countries. This comes on top of 130 million U.S. dollars in aid over the last 10 months from the UAE.
“With millions of Sudanese people facing a looming famine, it is unconscionable that the Sudanese Armed Forces continue to obstruct and deny basic humanitarian assistance in violation of international humanitarian law. We call on both sides of the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, to reach a ceasefire and move to a civilian transition.
“We believe that the Sudanese people deserve justice and peace. They need a ceasefire, a credible political process and an unhindered flow of humanitarian aid. Excuses and finger-pointing only prolong the suffering of civilians. The representative of the SAF should be asked if they seek an end to the conflict and civilian suffering then why won't they come to the Jeddah talks? Why conflict and civilian suffering then why won't they come to the Jeddah talks? Why are they blocking aid? What are you waiting for?
“You should stop grandstanding in international fora such as this and instead take responsibility for ending the conflict you started.”
For her part, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield implied concerns about UAE involvement, without mentioning the Gulf by name. She urged “external actors to stop fueling and prolonging this conflict, and enabling these atrocities, by sending weapons to Sudan.”
The Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces, an anti-war alliance also known as Taqaddum, condemned Ambassador Mohamed's remarks as disrespectful to the suffering Sudanese people. They clarified that his statements represented the SAF, not a legitimate government, and questioned his adherence to diplomatic norms.
The group welcomed international aid, including the UAE's, while highlighting Al-Harith’s comments as reflecting the policies of the former Islamist regime. They accused his statements of minimizing the humanitarian crisis and called for an end to the conflict through negotiations. They said:
“In the [UN] Security Council session held on June 18, 2024, Ambassador Al-Harith Idriss presented a statement on behalf of the government of Sudan reviewing positions that negatively affect the interests of the Sudanese people. Accordingly, we explain our position as follows: First: We strongly reject all forms of external interference that fuel the war by supporting one of its parties. At the same time, we praise and welcome all the efforts of our brothers and friends in providing aid and assistance to our people. Second: Ambassador Al-Harith Idris’s statements express the position of one of the parties to the conflict, namely SAF and there has been no legitimate authority in Sudan since the October 25, 2021, coup. Third: The ambassador’s statements departed from all diplomatic norms and were characterized by chants and a lack of respect for the traditions that govern dealings between countries, especially in international organizations and forums.”
The Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum), a Sudanese anti-war alliance, reiterated their previous accusations that the war was incited by the policies of the former Islamist government under Omar al-Bashir. They claim Ambassador Al-Harith's statements reflect this approach and called for an immediate end to the conflict and urged all Sudanese parties to take responsibility for the crisis. They emphasized the need for negotiations rather than blaming external actors.
“These statements are devoted to the policy of the former regime, which isolated Sudan and placed great burdens on its people. The December revolution succeeded in ending this isolation by reintegrating Sudan into the international community, but the October 25 coup and the April 15 war returned the country to the same isolation that we witnessed during [Islamists rule]. Fourth: The ambassador’s statements, which reduced the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe, express a great disregard for the suffering of the people of Sudan as a result of this war. The war, in which the ambassador expresses one of the parties, has caused killing, displacement, and impoverishment, in addition to the starvation of the people who, according to documented international reports, are suffering from the largest hunger disaster in the world. Finally, we affirm that ending the war is primarily the responsibility of the Sudanese parties and requires a real will to give priority to the interests of the country and its people, and to abandon the belief in the possibility of a military solution. Therefore, we call for a return to the negotiating tables and an urgent cessation of hostilities, which leads to a comprehensive political solution that establishes a sustainable peace under a civilian-led democratic government. General Secretariat June 20, 2024.”
Accounts differ as to which side fired the first shots and who is to blame for the initial outbreak of violence. But both sides are responsible for escalating the situation and undermining efforts to quell the fighting and reach a peaceful settlement.
More than a year later, the conflict remains unresolved. While a definitive victor is unclear, the RSF control most of Khartoum, Darfur, parts of Northern Kordofan, and Al-Jazira states, while the SAF control most of Omdurman, as well as the northern and eastern parts of the country. Having lost control of Khartoum, SAF established their new new de facto capital at Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast.
