United Arab Emirates and Sudan: How a Small Country Fuels a Large War?

From the outset of the war in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the United Arab Emirates chose its side. Seeking to counter a Sudanese army influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, they support the RSF, with whom they had previously established military-financial ties. This Emirati support is part of their broader regional strategy to combat Islamist movements. After two years of war, their military and financial partnership not only persists but is expanding. In response, the Sudanese army has adopted a strategy aimed at accusing the UAE on the international stage and disrupting the flow of supplies coming from the country. On January 7, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa (Hemedti), the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, as well as seven companies based in the United Arab Emirates that conduct business with the RSF. These sanctions underscore the role the UAE is playing in the Sudanese conflict.

4th December 2025