Weapons sales to UAE face opposition in US Congress amid Sudan concerns

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has introduced legislation seeking to halt American weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates until the United States certifies that the UAE is not arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, according to an early version of his announcement seen by Reuters.

Van Hollen has filed a joint resolution of disapproval in the Senate, while fellow Democrat Sara Jacobs has filed one in the House of Representatives. 

Their effort is unlikely to win significant support in Congress as U.S. administrations under presidents of both parties long have viewed the UAE as a vital regional security partner, but would draw attention to a conflict that has become one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.

"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.

U.S. law requires congressional review of major arms deals, and lets members of the Senate force votes on resolutions of disapproval that would block such sales. Although the law does not let House members force such votes, resolutions must pass both chambers of Congress, and potentially survive a presidential veto, to go into effect.

No resolution of disapproval has ever both passed Congress and survived a presidential veto. Such resolutions have at times led to heated debates that highlighted human rights concerns and lawmakers' dissatisfaction over weapons sales.

The UAE has long been a major purchaser of U.S. weapons. In October, the Biden administration announced, for example, that it had approved a potential sale of GMLRS and ATACMS munitions, and related support, for $1.2 billion. GMLRS, or Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets, are made by Lockheed Martin, with L3Harris Technologies producing the solid propellant rocket motor for the system. The long-range ATACMS are made by Lockheed Martin.

The newly introduced resolutions seek to stop that sale.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, this year recognized the UAE as a major defense partner, and the Gulf state is host to the Al Dhafra Air Base with U.S. military aircraft and thousands of American personnel.

Sudan's army has accused the UAE of providing weapons and support to the RSF in Sudan's 17-month-old war. The Gulf state denies the allegations. U.N. sanctions monitors have described as credible accusations that the UAE had provided military support to the RSF.

The UAE has denied involvement in military support to any of Sudan's rival parties.

War erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF over a transition to free elections, with tens of thousands of people reported dead. The United Nations has said nearly 25 million people - half of Sudan's population - need aid, famine is looming and some 8 million people have fled their homes.

"The UAE is one of the biggest outside actors fueling the violence in Sudan, and yet the U.S. is on the brink of selling the UAE another $1.2 billion in weapons that could end up in the hands of the RSF," Jacobs, who met with Sudanese refugees on the border with Chad this year, said in a statement.