Sudan Vs. UAE At The World Court: Genocide Accusations Ignite Global Tensions

Sudan has taken a bold step on the international stage, accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the United Nations’ top court of violating the Genocide Convention by backing brutal paramilitary forces in its Darfur region.

“Genocide is being committed against the Masalit ethnic group in western Sudan,” declared Sudan’s acting Justice Minister, Muawia Osman, during a dramatic session at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday.

He alleged that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—a notorious paramilitary group—are carrying out these atrocities “with the support and complicity of the United Arab Emirates.”

Last month, Sudan officially filed a case at the ICJ, accusing the UAE of supplying arms to the RSF. The UAE has denied the claims, dismissing them as “baseless and politically motivated,” and reaffirmed that it supports neither faction in Sudan’s ongoing civil war. The UAE also challenged the ICJ’s authority to hear the case.

“Our only interest is in achieving lasting peace and stability for Sudan and the wider region,” said Reem Ketait, Assistant Deputy Minister of Political Affairs in the UAE Foreign Ministry, in a statement to CNN.

A Nation at War, A Region in Crisis

Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal power struggle between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and his former ally turned rival, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the RSF. The conflict has devastated the nation, leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with failed diplomatic efforts to broker peace.

Both Sudan and the UAE are signatories of the 1948 Genocide Convention, making the ICJ the appropriate venue for addressing violations.

Sudan claims that the UAE’s “direct logistical and other support” for the RSF is the driving force behind widespread atrocities, including mass killings, sexual violence, forced displacement, looting, and the destruction of public and private property.

Sudan’s legal team has urged the court to issue emergency measures to prevent further escalation. They requested the ICJ to order the UAE to “cease all complicity” in the alleged genocide and submit regular reports to the court pending a final judgment.

The UAE Hits Back: “A PR Stunt”

The UAE forcefully rejected the accusations. “This is nothing more than a cynical PR stunt,” said Ketait, accusing the Sudanese Armed Forces of attempting to deflect attention from their own alleged atrocities and unwillingness to engage in serious peace talks.

In January, the U.S. officially recognized attacks on the Masalit people as acts of genocide. A U.N. expert panel also found “credible” evidence of UAE and Chadian involvement in fueling the conflict. As a result, U.S. lawmakers have put a hold on major arms sales to the UAE over its suspected support for the RSF.

Sudanese lawyers presented intelligence reports they say prove the continued flow of UAE-supplied arms into Darfur through neighboring Chad. CNN has also documented horrific crimes committed by the RSF and affiliated militias, including massacres in El Geneina, West Darfur, and forced recruitment in central Sudan.

Humanitarian Disaster Deepens

The war has driven Sudan to the brink. Nearly 25 million people—half the country’s population—are now in dire need of food, with famine already declared in five southern and southwestern regions. According to the ICP monitoring group, another five regions may fall into famine by June.

“This is a man-made crisis—driven by conflict and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid,” said Shaun Hughes, the World Food Programme’s Regional Emergency Coordinator. He called on the global community to push for access and safe passage for aid organizations.

Kate Phillips-Barrasso of Mercy Corps warned that recent cuts to U.S. aid programs could leave nearly 200,000 Sudanese without food or clean water. “It’s like turning off the oxygen in a hospital,” she said.

Meanwhile, in Sudan’s largest displacement camp—Zamzam in North Darfur—RSF fighters continue to attack civilians, further compounding the crisis.

A Fight for Justice—and Survival

With both sides trading blame and the civilian toll mounting, the ICJ proceedings mark a significant escalation in the international fallout from Sudan’s civil war. Whether the court will act decisively—and whether any ruling can bring real relief to Sudanese civilians—remains to be seen.

But one thing is clear: for millions caught in the crossfire, time is running out.