UAE says international community erred over Sudan, says Dr Gargash
As-salamu alaykum. A senior Emirati official said on Sunday that the international community made a “critical mistake” by not preventing Sudan’s 2021 military takeover, noting many states “stopped short of calling it a coup” hoping to stabilise Sudan after years of US sanctions.
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, said the choice not to act decisively when generals removed the civilian government helped create the conditions for the brutal civil war that later broke out between rival military groups.
The conflict in Sudan, now into its third year, has killed tens of thousands and displaced at least 13 million people. Around 30 million - more than half the population - face food insecurity, with famine declared in some areas, mostly in Darfur.
The fighting began in April 2023 when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Gen Mohamed Dagalo, erupted into open warfare. What started as a power struggle between two former partners - who had jointly carried out the 2021 takeover - has escalated into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“We all made the mistake when the two generals who are fighting the civil war today overthrew the civilian government,” Dr Gargash said at the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain. “That was, in my opinion, looking back, a critical mistake. We should have put our foot down, all of us, collectively.”
He warned that the deterioration between the two military leaders led Sudan to the current civil war. He added that the UAE’s stance is clear.
In September, at the invitation of the US, the foreign ministers of the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt met to discuss the war. A proposed peace plan called for a three-month initial truce followed by a return to civilian rule that would exclude the Muslim Brotherhood from power.
Under that plan, Dr Gargash said, a three-month humanitarian ceasefire would open the way to political talks and, within nine months, the formation of a transitional civilian government.
“Let’s clear the fog and see: are the generals ready to hand over power to a civilian transition? That’s really the core question,” he said.
This week, the UN Security Council condemned an RSF assault on El Fasher in North Darfur and warned of a “heightened risk of large-scale atrocities, including ethnically motivated atrocities”. Reports and footage of attacks on civilians have caused deep concern. Gen Dagalo acknowledged in a video that his forces had committed “abuses”.
Dr Gargash said the UAE is increasing its humanitarian support for Sudan, including medical services in neighbouring countries like Chad and South Sudan.
“The sooner unhindered humanitarian corridors are opened to help people in Sudan, not only in El Fasher but in other areas too, the more support you will see from the UAE and many other countries,” he said, noting aid will be channelled through the Red Crescent and international organisations.
On Iran, Dr Gargash said it is more useful to look clearly at Tehran’s policies than to dwell on the past. “Iran is a neighbour. We want to resolve issues politically and have a good relationship. But we can’t ignore actions that harm regional security,” he said, calling for a review of policies that tolerate regional interference.
May Allah protect the innocent and grant peace to the people of Sudan. Please keep them in your duas.
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