UAE holds first talks with leader of war-torn African state

The Sudanese army accused Abu Dhabi of arming paramilitary fighters in the deadly ongoing conflict

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has committed to supporting Sudan in ending a more than yearlong armed conflict that has raged between rival armies in the African nation, Emirati news agency WAM reports.

The decision was announced when the Emirati president spoke by phone with Sudan’s de facto leader and army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, last Thursday, according to WAM.

Last week’s direct talks were the first involving the two leaders since fighting broke out in the northeastern African state in mid-April 2023, after months of tension between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) commander Burhan and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) chief Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. According to the UN, an estimated 10 million people have been internally displaced, and approximately 17,000 have been killed.

Relations between Abu Dhabi and Khartoum deteriorated last year, with Sudan expelling 15 UAE embassy staff in response to the alleged expulsion of three Sudanese diplomats from Abu Dhabi.

Sudanese army officials have reportedly accused the Emirati government of supplying arms to the RSF to fight the national military forces. Abu Dhabi has denied the allegations, claiming that it has consistently pushed for de-escalation, a ceasefire, and diplomatic dialogue in Sudan since the conflict began.

During Thursday’s phone call, the UAE president and his Sudanese counterpart reportedly discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations.

Al Nahyan further stressed the “importance of peaceful dialogue to uphold Sudan’s supreme interests and preserve its security and stability” and assured that Abu Dhabi will continue to support humanitarian efforts to ease the suffering of nearly 25 million people in need of aid.

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Sudan’s army-led government has recently moved to shore up its overseas alliances in the wake of its battle with the RSF. The African nation fully restored ties with Iran on Sunday, bringing an end to an eight-year diplomatic freeze.

Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir had severed relations with Iran in 2016 in a show of solidarity with Saudi Arabia following an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.