The United Arab Emirates rejected Sudan's decision to sever diplomatic relations and label it an "aggressor state" on Wednesday, describing the body as an "unrepresentative authority" that does not reflect the will of the Sudanese people.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it does not recognize the decision made by "the so-called Security and Defense Council," asserting that it will not affect the "deep-rooted and enduring ties between the UAE and the Republic of the Sudan, and their peoples."
The ministry framed Sudan's move as retaliation following by the ICJ's ruling on Monday, which dismissed a case filed by Sudanese authorities in Port Sudan against the UAE for "violating the Genocide Convention by backing paramilitary forces in Darfur."
The UAE rejected the allegations entirely, describing the case as a "political charade" and a "cynical publicity stunt."
Sudan's decision to cut ties came just one day later, on Tuesday, with the Port Sudan-based government declaring the UAE a hostile state. The Sudanese authorities accused the UAE of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that has been battling the Sudanese army in a brutal civil war that erupted in April 2023.
The conflict, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, pits army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan against his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.
In its statement, the UAE also rejected what it called "disgraceful" rhetoric from the Port Sudan authorities, accusing them of using inflammatory language to deflect from peace efforts.
"Sudan and its honorable people deserve a civilian-led government, independent of military control, that prioritizes the interests of the brotherly Sudanese people," the ministry said. "A leadership that does not kill half of its population, while starving and displacing the other half."
The UAE rceently announced it had thwarted an attempt to smuggle weapons to Sudan’s military, alleging involvement by individuals tied to senior army leadership.
In December, Human Rights Watch accused the paramilitary group and allied militias of widespread sexual violence in southern Sudan. In parallel, the US government formally accused the RSF of perpetrating genocide in Darfur and sanctioned its leader, Hemedti.
