Sudan Warns EU: Stop Supplying UAE as Bulgarian Arms Fuel This Deadly Conflict

Sudan has called on the European Union to suspend arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, warning that European-made weapons are reaching the country’s warzones and fueling atrocities in its ongoing civil conflict, POLITICO writes. Abdelbagi Kabeir, Sudan’s ambassador to the EU, told POLITICO that weapons sold to the UAE are allegedly ending up in the hands of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused by the United Nations and rights organizations of ethnic massacres, mass displacement, and systematic sexual violence. Sudan’s two-year war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF has left tens of thousands dead and some 25 million people facing extreme hunger. Kabeir stressed that “the EU should weigh the moral balance over the trade balance,” highlighting the ethical responsibilities of EU nations that supply arms to the UAE. He warned that instability in Sudan could spill into the Mediterranean region, exacerbating migration pressures and regional insecurity. Evidence presented by investigations, including one by France24 in April, traced munitions produced in Bulgaria - a key EU arms exporter - from their sale to the UAE into RSF hands, despite the EU’s long-standing arms embargo on Sudan. Bulgaria confirmed to UN investigators that it exported mortar rounds to the UAE in 2019 but said it did not authorize any re-export to Sudan. POLITICO reached out to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry for comment, but it did not respond. The United Kingdom also acknowledged last month that its weapons have been discovered in Sudan. Amnesty International has reported that RSF fighters have used UAE-supplied armored vehicles containing French military systems. French defense firms Lacroix and KNDS France affirmed that their exports complied with all licensing regulations and non-re-export certificates. Between 2015 and 2024, the UAE purchased over €21 billion in arms from France. A UAE official told POLITICO that Abu Dhabi “categorically rejects any claims of providing support to the RSF” and condemned atrocities committed by both sides in Sudan. Despite these denials, Kabeir urged the EU to use its diplomatic leverage during upcoming visits to Gulf states to pressure the UAE to stop supplying weapons to the RSF. European Council President António Costa recently described the UAE as an “important and reliable partner” for EU security and stability, while Commissioner Dubravka Šuica is scheduled to visit Gulf countries, including Abu Dhabi, next month. The EU has maintained sanctions against top RSF and SAF figures and reaffirmed its arms embargo on Sudan, in place for over 30 years. EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El-Anouni emphasized to POLITICO that the bloc’s arms export rules obligate member states to deny shipments that could exacerbate human rights violations or internal conflict. “All third parties supplying arms and funds to the belligerents must cease their support immediately,” he said. Kabeir argued that lifting EU sanctions on the SAF would allow for more constructive engagement and relieve Sudan’s economy. He also criticized the EU’s humanitarian assistance, noting that the allocated €273 million in 2025 falls short of both pledges and the population’s needs. The Sudanese conflict has seen repeated allegations of mass killings and sexual violence by both the SAF and RSF. Kabeir acknowledged that civilian casualties have occurred during SAF operations, describing them as “isolated incidents,” whereas he accused the RSF, with alleged backing from the UAE, of waging a systematic campaign intended “to break the nation.” Source: POLITICO