The United Arab Emirates Is Devastating Sudan for Profit
Several outside actors have stoked the flames of war in Sudan, but none has had as great an impact as the United Arab Emirates. The evidence of its destructive role is overwhelming, but the Gulf kingdom’s Western allies have turned a blind eye to it.
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomes Donald Trump upon arrival at the presidential terminal in Abu Dhabi on May 15, 2025. (Giuseppe Cacace / AFP via Getty Images)
At one time or another, Sudanese governments have hosted, armed, or tolerated rebels and opposition groups from all of the country’s neighbors, from Egypt and Libya to Uganda and Ethiopia. Sudan’s neighbors have repaid the favor, and a range of outside actors are now involved in the Sudanese civil war.
Key supporters of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) include Chad, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Eritrea support the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the de facto government. Among all the external actors, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the most consequential, even though it has the least reason to be involved.
Every other external actor has a stake in Sudan that derives from geography, security exposure, or the influx of Sudanese refugees. Even Saudi Arabia, while not a land neighbor, shares the Red Sea coastline with Sudan and has a direct interest in stabilizing its western maritime frontier.
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