Biden and Harris raise Sudan issue with UAE president

Following two separate meetings of US President Joe Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Washington yesterday, the US President recognised the UAE as a “major defence partner.”

The leaders expressed their deep concern about the tragic impact of violence on the Sudanese people and neighbouring countries, including mass displacement, famine, and the atrocities committed by the warring parties against the civilian population.

A statement issued by the White House after Biden’s meeting in the Oval Office with bin Zayed stated that “there is no military solution to the conflict in Sudan.” It renewed “their firm and steadfast position on the need to take immediate and concrete steps to achieve a permanent cessation of hostilities and a transition to civilian rule.”

Regarding the continued fighting in Darfur, the two presidents called on all parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law and hold accountable all individuals and groups that commit war crimes.

‘Major defence partner’

The UAE’s recognition as a major defence partner will deepen military ties despite friction over the war in Sudan and as deadly tensions ratchet in the Middle East. The UAE is the second country to receive the designation after the Biden administration gave India the designation in 2021.

The designation would “further enhance defence cooperation and security in the Middle East, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean regions,” according to the statement.

It would also “allow for unprecedented cooperation through joint training, exercises, and military-to-military collaboration, between the military forces of the US, UAE, and India, as well as other common military partners, in furtherance of regional stability.”

The designation comes despite friction over repeated accusations and evidence that the UAE has supplied arms to the RSF in Sudan.

A few months after war broke out between the SAF and RSF in Khartoum, reports about UAE military support to the RSF appeared again. The UAE has since admitted to supplying arms to the RSF before the outbreak of the war, but denies sending any arms after April 15, 2023.

Harris meeting

Harris also reportedly discussed the situation in Sudan with bin Zayed on Monday during a meeting in the West Wing Office of the White House and other concerns of the two countries and the Middle East North Africa region.

The US Vice President expressed her deep concern about the conflict in Sudan, which has displaced over 10 million people and left 25 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Since the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, an estimated 20,000 people have been killed and thousands of others injured.

Harris stressed the need for the warring parties to sit down at the negotiating table and end the conflict. She also called for unrestricted humanitarian aid.

The two sides renewed their joint commitment to de-escalate the conflict, alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, ensure humanitarian access to the Sudanese people, and prevent foreign terrorist organisations from entering the country, according to the statement.