Sudan Amid Rising Tensions Between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi
Report – Sudan Events
The Washington Post, citing a Saudi diplomat, reported that Saudi Arabia is prepared to use all available means to curb the influence of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Sudan, at a time when efforts are accelerating to approve a truce that could lead to a ceasefire. Saudi Arabia—now the most prominent actor in the Sudanese crisis—has dispatched its foreign minister to several Arab and international capitals to present its perspective on developments and its vision for a settlement, following what it describes as a departure from the Emirati view of the Sudanese scene.
Deep-seated disputes, not necessarily linked directly to Sudan, have affected relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Observers believe these disagreements are connected to the Gulf region, broader regional dynamics, and the situation in Yemen—differences that later led to tensions between the two countries.
Saudi researcher in international relations Salman Al-Ansari said: “Years ago, I moderated a seminar attended by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, who stated that the world is no longer divided between East and West, but between order and chaos. This framework captures the essence of what is happening today between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.”
He added: “Within the Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia is viewed as the region’s strategic depth. Saudi Arabia led the Peninsula Shield Force to liberate Kuwait and protect Bahrain from Iranian interference. I recall when Iran began provoking the UAE over the three Emirati islands; Saudi Arabia, through its foreign minister at the time, Prince Faisal, issued an angry statement in September 2008 declaring its intention to liberate the Emirati islands and expel Iran from them.”
Al-Ansari continued: “It was a strong stance from the Saudi foreign minister, but the Emiratis responded by sending Abu Dhabi’s foreign minister to Tehran to sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement, effectively apologizing to Iran for the Saudi statement. Over time, Abu Dhabi became Iran’s second-largest trading partner. In 2015, Saudi Arabia formed a coalition to support the UN charter, confront Iran-backed Houthi militias, and restore legitimacy in Yemen. Initially, the UAE appeared aligned with the coalition’s objectives, and Saudi Arabia rewarded Abu Dhabi by establishing a joint Strategic Coordination Council and integrating it deeply into Vision 2030 projects and major Saudi initiatives. At the time, the two countries appeared as a single entity.”
He noted, however, that “this Saudi trust was not reciprocated. Riyadh soon discovered that the UAE was exploiting the joint mechanism to obtain information on Saudi economic plans in order to strike parallel and competitive deals independently. From this experience, Saudi Arabia concluded that the UAE was not a trustworthy partner.”
Regarding Yemen, Al-Ansari said: “Saudi Arabia realized that Abu Dhabi’s participation in the coalition was not primarily to support Yemen’s unity, but rather to back separatist forces and secure Emirati influence over strategic ports—most notably Aden, near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, through which about 20 percent of global trade passed at the time. Coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia had liberated around 80 percent of Yemen and were less than 20 percent away from fully liberating the country. The shock for Riyadh came when Abu Dhabi began dividing the Yemeni army, fueling internal conflicts, and establishing what became known as the Southern Transitional Council, exploiting legitimate demands to achieve geopolitical gains. It was then that Riyadh realized Abu Dhabi was no longer a reliable partner—economically, politically, or in security terms.”
He added: “Abu Dhabi was later tested by the crisis of the Khartoum war and the acts of genocide committed by the RSF militia. It is important to emphasize here that Riyadh is now more determined than ever to put an end to its former partner’s actions and to curb the spread of militias around it, especially as the UAE has practically attempted to exploit these militias to manipulate the Kingdom’s southern borders.”
For his part, Dr. Osama Hanfi, Professor of Political Science at the University of Sudan, said that developments do not indicate that Sudan was among the reasons behind the rupture in Saudi-Emirati relations. He also does not believe the issue is directly related to the war in Sudan, noting that Saudi involvement there reflects a widening gap in positions between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. He agrees with those who believe that Saudi leadership has reached a stage of complete distrust toward Abu Dhabi, which relies on maneuvering as a core principle of its regional dealings.
Hanfi added: “I believe Saudi Arabia’s presence within initiatives to resolve the crisis has sent reassurances to Sudanese leadership, which fully understands the dimensions of what is currently unfolding between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. These developments have given Sudanese leaders a favorable margin for maneuver and eased the pressure they had been under for a long period.”
