The Hague: Sudan has urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to take immediate action against the United Arab Emirates, accusing the Gulf nation of violating the Genocide Convention by supporting paramilitary forces in Darfur. The case centers on allegations that the UAE is complicit in the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militias against the non-Arab Masalit community in West Darfur in 2023.
Addressing the court in The Hague on Thursday, Sudan’s acting Justice Minister Muawia Osman stated:
“The genocide against the Masalit is being carried out by the Rapid Support Force, believed to be Arab from Darfur, with the support and complicity of the United Arab Emirates.”
The RSF, a powerful paramilitary faction, has been engaged in a brutal civil conflict with Sudan’s regular army since 2021. Sudan’s legal team has requested emergency preventative measures from the ICJ to halt what they describe as ongoing genocidal acts, referencing documented massacres and ethnic violence published by Reuters.
The UAE, however, has dismissed the proceedings as politically motivated and argued that the ICJ lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter. Reem Ketait, a senior official with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged the judges to dismiss the case outright.
“It is clear beyond doubt that there is no jurisdiction. We therefore call upon the court to remove the case from the general list,” Ketait said.
In its defense, the UAE denied all allegations of supplying arms or material support to the RSF, claiming neutrality in Sudan’s civil war.
“Since the start of the war, the UAE has not provided any arms or related materiel to either of the warring parties,” Ketait told the court.
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Despite the UAE’s denials, Sudan maintains that evidence presented by United Nations experts and U.S. lawmakers supports its claim of external support to the RSF. In January, the United States formally determined that the attacks on the Masalit constituted acts of genocide.
Given that ICJ cases can take years to resolve, Sudan has appealed for interim measures designed to prevent further escalation and protect civilians. Minister Osman specifically called on the court to issue an order directing the UAE to cease actions that may contribute to genocidal acts against the Masalit people.
Judges at the ICJ typically decide on requests for emergency measures within weeks of preliminary hearings.
