Dr. Andreas Krieg, a professor of security studies at King’s College London, comments on Sudan’s complaint against the UAE at the International Court of Justice (ICJ):

“It appears that the ‘Separatist Support Axis’ led by the United Arab Emirates has begun to unravel after Abu Dhabi’s legally unmonitored adventures in planning and organizing separatist networks for 12 years in several countries have hit a stone wall in Sudan.

There is clear and compelling evidence that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are committing acts of genocide in West Darfur. The RSF operates as a proxy for the UAE in terms of weapons, logistical networks, financial support, and guidance. This, therefore, makes the UAE complicit in aiding and abetting genocide. The plaintiffs will have to prove that the UAE exercises sufficient and effective control over RSF activities and that its support has a significant impact on the crime of genocide.

Legal teams have been working on this case for a long time to bring it to the level where a formal complaint could be filed. There is overwhelming evidence indicating that the UAE is aiding and encouraging the crimes committed by the RSF. Other countries may also join the case against the UAE, as the UAE has funded violent non-state actors in Yemen, Libya, and Somalia as well.

The primary goal of the lawsuit is to pressure the UAE into withdrawing its investments in the RSF through public pressure. The ICJ could then order interim measures requiring the UAE to cease its support for the RSF and pay financial compensation. These decisions are legally binding but cannot be enforced directly. The UAE has a track record of violating international law and may choose to ignore any ruling or judgment from the ICJ unless it is issued directly by the United Nations Security Council.”