November 22, Nairobi — U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has presented a bill to suspend American weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The bill aims to demand assurances that the UAE is not supply weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.
The legislation challenges a recent $1.2 billion deal with the UAE, amid accusations of the UAE’s involvement in Sudan’s conflict.
“The UAE is an important partner in the Middle East, but the United States cannot sit idly by as it aids and abets the humanitarian disaster in Sudan – we must use our leverage to try to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution,” Van Hollen said in a statement.
Senator Van Holler filed a joint resolution of disapproval in the Senate, while fellow Democrat, Sara Jacobs, has filed one in the House of Representatives. The effort is unlikely to win any significant support in Congress due to the UAE’s status as a security partner but focuses attention on the conflict in Sudan.
“As long as the UAE and other outside actors keep interfering in the Sudan war, the SAF and RSF will keep fighting,” Congresswoman Jacobs posted on X. “We need to use our leverage with the UAE and get them to stop aiding the RSF.”
Amnesty International revealed earlier this year that armed personal carriers (APCs) which were being used in Sudan were made by the UAE. The group said that the UAE has long track record of breaching UN Security Council arms embargoes in relation to Sudan. Last week, it was also revealed that that the RSF was using French-manufactured military technology, supplied by the UAE, on the battlefield.
At a press conference in Nairobi on Monday, the RSF delegation denied any military assistance from the UAE or any foreign country. They said there was some international “humanitarian assistance.”