In a blow to Sudan’s legal offensive, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has dismissed a high-profile case accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supplying weapons to paramilitary groups involved in alleged acts of genocide in Darfur.
The UN’s top judicial body ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to proceed with Sudan’s claim, effectively halting the legal process before the case could be heard on its merits.
Sudan had brought the case to the ICJ last month, claiming that the UAE had breached the 1948 Genocide Convention by supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of brutal attacks on the Masalit ethnic group in West Darfur. The UAE rejected the allegations and insisted the case should be thrown out.
The ICJ sided with the UAE, issuing a majority ruling of 14 to 2 to dismiss Sudan’s request for emergency measures and strike the case from its docket. “The court is precluded by its statute from taking any position on the merits of the claims made by Sudan,” the court’s summary noted, pointing to the lack of jurisdiction as the central issue.
The ruling sparked contrasting reactions from the two nations. Sudan, undeterred by the decision, vowed to continue its legal pursuit. Government officials maintained that the court’s dismissal “does not absolve the UAE of genocide allegations” and promised to explore “all legal avenues to protect its people and state.”
Midway through the conflict’s legal fallout, the UAE framed the ICJ’s ruling as a vindication. “This decision is a clear and decisive affirmation of the fact that this case was utterly baseless,” said Reem Ketait, deputy assistant minister for political affairs at the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The court’s finding that it is without jurisdiction confirms that this case should never have been brought. The facts speak for themselves: the UAE bears no responsibility for the conflict in Sudan. On the contrary, the atrocities committed by the warring parties are well-documented.”
Reem Ketait
Sudan’s original application had also sought emergency measures to halt what it described as genocidal acts against the Masalit people by the RSF and allied Arab militias. However, that plea was rejected along with the main case.
The Sudanese government continues to accuse the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF, which has been locked in a deadly two-year civil war against the Sudanese army. Although the UAE has consistently denied these accusations, various reports from human rights groups and comments from UN experts and U.S. lawmakers have suggested the claims are credible.
A recent report from a UN panel of experts, published in April, did not explicitly name the UAE, only referencing its role in Sudan’s peace negotiations. Yet, past investigations and testimony have linked arms deliveries to external actors, adding fuel to Sudan’s allegations.
The ICJ, headquartered in The Hague, functions as the highest legal authority for disputes between states and international treaty violations. Both Sudan and the UAE are signatories to the Genocide Convention, a key aspect of Sudan’s legal argument that was ultimately rejected on procedural grounds.
Port Sudan Attack Continues
While courtroom battles rage internationally, the domestic front in Sudan continues to deteriorate rapidly. On Tuesday, multiple explosions rocked Port Sudan, a city previously seen as a safe zone in the conflict. A witness reported fires and plumes of smoke near the country’s primary maritime port and around the residence of General Abdelfattah al-Burhan, the Sudanese army chief.
A major hotel near General Burhan’s compound was also reportedly hit. The cause of the attacks remains unclear, but the timing is alarming. Port Sudan had been largely spared from the civil war’s violence until Sunday, when fighting erupted for the first time in the coastal city.
With tens of thousands of displaced people seeking shelter in Port Sudan, the renewed violence there threatens to worsen what is already being described as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” The city had become a hub for aid agencies, government ministries, and foreign diplomats, all of whom are now under increased threat.
As the crisis deepens both at home and on the international stage, Sudan finds itself locked in a multi-front battle for justice, legitimacy, and survival.
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