The UAE dodged a diplomatic bullet, after the European Parliament passed a resolution on the Sudan war that made no mention of Abu Dhabi’s alleged support for the RSF militia.
The text condemned atrocities by both sides in the war and called for an immediate ceasefire, but, amid a reported lobbying blitz by the UAE, amendments criticizing the Gulf country were omitted. Instead, there were merely references to “external enablers.”
Lana Nusseibeh, UAE envoy to the European Union, praised the “timely” resolution, backed calls for a ceasefire, and said both the RSF and its adversary, the Sudanese Armed Forces, had caused “profound suffering.” A UAE official played down the idea of a big lobbying effort, telling Politico that Nusseibeh was in Strasbourg where the parliament was meeting as part of her “regular portfolio of engagements.”
Saudi Arabia has been pushing US President Donald Trump to help resolve the conflict. A recent White House peace plan has been met with a mixed reception from the combatants.