According to several press reports, the United Arab Emirates exerted a systematic and extensive lobbying campaign with European Union officials and European leaders pressuring Europeans not to sanction or mention the United Arab Emirates in connection with the ongoing geocide in Darfur perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces. The UAE also lobbied on behalf of the RSF.
The European Union did not issue any sanctions on the RSF other than the sanctions on one of Hemedti’s brothers and did not condemn the UAE despite the UAE being the major weapons supplier to the RSF. The EU is currently negotiating a trade agreement with the UAE.
The EU has released a very lukewarm statement about the RSF’s ethnic cleansing in the city of Al-Fashir.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom also seems to be afflicted with the same problem. Press reports state that the Foreign Office received an internal warning of potential genocide in Darfur as early as April 2023, but the term “genocide” was subsequently removed from the assessment.
The whistleblower also told the press that the UK Foreign Office censored his warnings to protect the reputation of the UAE.
Apart from conducting backroom lobbying, the UAE is also conducting a very extensive public propaganda campaign to justify its support for the Rapid Support Forces.
Fighting is ongoing in Sudan in the West and Sorth Kordofan states with the town of Babanusa being reportedly captured by the RSF. There are growing concerns about the residents of the towns being captured by the RSF including the residents that remain trapped in Al-Fashir. Communication with the civilians trapped in these towns is often intermittent due to frequent internet and telecommunications disruption.
Newsroom
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