The United Arab Emirates is facing growing criticism over its involvement in a London conference focused on ending the conflict in Sudan, as a leaked UN report raises new concerns about the Gulf state’s potential role in the war, The Guardian reported.
The confidential report, compiled by UN experts and submitted to the Sudan sanctions committee last year, details a pattern of cargo flights from the UAE to Chad using Ilyushin Il-76TD aircraft. These flights, according to the report, often vanished from radar during key portions of their journey and were reportedly linked to operators previously associated with arms transfers.
The flights allegedly corresponded with a spike in activity by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group accused of atrocities in Darfur, particularly around El Fasher. Investigators identified at least 24 flights into Chad that could be linked to a potential arms corridor into Sudan.
Despite these observations, the panel stated that it lacked definitive proof the flights were transporting weapons. Most members concluded that while the pattern was troubling, the evidence fell short of proving arms transfers had taken place. As a result, the upcoming final version of the panel’s report reportedly omits any mention of the UAE in this context.
The UAE has rejected the allegations, reaffirming its commitment to peace in Sudan. It cited the absence of accusations in the final report as evidence of no wrongdoing. These developments come shortly after Sudan presented a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of involvement in alleged acts of genocide—a charge the UAE dismissed as baseless and politically motivated.
