Skip to main content

World Court to hear Sudan genocide case against United Arab Emirates

1 min Mena Today

The World Court said on Friday it would hear a case brought by Sudan demanding emergency measures against the United Arab Emirates and accusing the Gulf state of violating obligations under the Genocide Convention by arming paramilitary forces.

A destroyed military vehicle stands after a battle between members of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital Khartoum, Sudan March 25, 2025. Reuters

A destroyed military vehicle stands after a battle between members of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital Khartoum, Sudan March 25, 2025. Reuters

The World Court said on Friday it would hear a case brought by Sudan demanding emergency measures against the United Arab Emirates and accusing the Gulf state of violating obligations under the Genocide Convention by arming paramilitary forces.

Sudan has accused the UAE of arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which have been fighting the Sudanese army in a two-year-old civil war - a charge the UAE denies but U.N. experts and U.S. lawmakers have found credible.

The Sudanese Armed Forces' actions at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) "are nothing more than a political game and publicity stunt - an attempt to drag a longstanding friend of Africa into the conflict they themselves have instigated and fuelled," a UAE official said.

"Despite this, the UAE remains resolute in its humanitarian commitment towards the people of Sudan, focused on alleviating the humanitarian disaster inflicted by both warring factions."

Sudan's complaint to the Hague-based ICJ - known as the World Court - is in connection with intense ethnic-based attacks by the RSF and allied Arab militias against the non-Arab Masalit tribe in 2023 in West Darfur, documented in detail by Reuters.

Those attacks were determined to be genocide by the United States in January.

Sudan has asked for the court to impose emergency measures to order the Emirates to prevent genocidal acts in Darfur.

The court said it would hear Sudan's request on April 10.

As cases before the ICJ can take years to reach a final conclusion states can ask for emergency measures which are meant to ensure the dispute between the states does not escalate in the meantime.

Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg

Related

Tunisia

Habib Mekki removed as Tunisair chairman

Tunisian authorities have dismissed the chairman of the national airline, Tunisair, following a wave of disruptions that sparked widespread public dissatisfaction. The announcement came on Saturday from the Ministry of Transport.

Algeria

Algeria at 63: Independence without freedom

As Algeria marks the 63rd anniversary of its independence this July 5, there is little cause for celebration among its citizens. Despite being one of the wealthiest countries in North Africa in terms of natural resources, particularly oil and gas, the country remains mired in stagnation, corruption, and repression.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.