The UAE and the African Union Commission have underscored the need for an immediate, unconditional truce, a permanent ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access in Sudan.
The war in Sudan erupted in 2023 when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the formerly allied paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The SAF and RSF have both been accused of committing war crimes, and tens of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict.
Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan, UAE Minister of State, and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), held a high-level meeting in Addis Ababa on Tuesday.
During the talks, they called for “accountability for violations of international humanitarian law” and for establishing an independent, civilian-led government that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people, according to a UAE statement.
They welcomed regional and international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in the African country, and condemned atrocities committed against civilians by the warring parties.
They also reaffirmed support for Sudan’s territorial integrity and unity, and the imperative of a peaceful settlement. SAF chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan insists that there will be no truce until the RSF is defeated.
“Both sides underscored the need for an immediate unconditional humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access throughout Sudan,” said the statement.
They also reaffirmed their support for Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and stability.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar travelled to Somaliland on Tuesday on his first official visit to the territory since his country recognised it.
The AUC chairman and the UAE minister also exchanged views on peace and security dynamics in the Horn of Africa. They underscored the close interdependence between stability in the Horn of Africa and security in the Arabian Gulf, including maritime security and regional prosperity.
They reaffirmed that the occupation of the three UAE islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, by Iran constitutes a violation of the sovereignty of the country and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
They reiterated their support for the UAE’s call for a peaceful resolution of the dispute on the islands, in accordance with international law, including through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice.
The AUC chairman and the minister also welcomed the UAE’s launch of the $1 billion AI for Development initiative, announced at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg in November, and affirmed its potential to support Africa’s development priorities through innovation and digital transformation.
