Sudan cuts diplomatic ties with UAE

Sudan has officially severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accusing the Gulf country of violating its sovereignty and supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing conflict. The UAE has said it does not recognise the legitimacy of the decision.

In a statement issued yesterday following a meeting of the Security and Defence Council, the Sudanese government declared the UAE an “aggressor state” and announced the immediate withdrawal of its embassy and consulate general from the UAE.

The council alleged that the UAE has provided the RSF with strategic weaponry used in recent attacks across the country. Port Sudan, the de facto seat of government, was targeted in a series of drone strikes over the past three days, hitting military and civilian sites, including oil and gas depots, the port and airport, power stations, and hotels.

“These attacks threaten not only Sudan’s national security but also regional and international stability, particularly the safety of Red Sea shipping lanes,” the statement read.

The Security and Defence Council—aligned with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and comprising the Transitional Sovereignty Council, the Prime Minister, and key ministers—said Sudan reserves the right to respond to the UAE’s actions under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which affirms a state’s right to self-defence.

The announcement follows a ruling yesterday by the International Court of Justice dismissing Sudan’s case against the UAE for lack of jurisdiction.

UAE responds

The UAE has dismissed the council’s decision to sever diplomatic ties, “as the Port Sudan Authority does not represent the legitimate government of Sudan and its honourable people”.

In a statement issued today, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the move by “one of the two warring parties in Sudan” came just one day after the ICJ decision, a point it cited as evidence of the move’s political motivations. It rejected what it described as “deplorable” and “diversionary” rhetoric by the Sudanese council, accusing it of undermining peace efforts.

It added that the statement by Security and Defence Council would not impact the longstanding and deep-rooted ties between the Emirati and Sudanese peoples. The Ministry also affirmed that Sudanese residents and visitors in the UAE would not be affected by the recent developments.