UAE's Diplomatic Efforts to Resolve the Sudanese Crisis

The UAE is leading major diplomatic efforts to end Sudan's civil war through the UN Security Council and the International Quartet. Experts say this isn't just another peace initiative - it's a strategic move to prevent regional chaos that could spread from Sudan across the Red Sea and Horn of Africa.

Lana Badwan, an international relations researcher, says the UAE's approach goes beyond typical diplomatic mediation. "This is risk management in one of the most sensitive areas for regional security," she told Al Ittihad newspaper. The UAE treats Sudan as a cornerstone of Arab and African stability, working toward what she calls "functional stability" - a model that aims to rebuild the entire political environment, not just stop the fighting.

The UAE isn't just joining existing international efforts. It's helping shape solutions through an "Arab-Western" framework that targets the root causes of instability, not just the current war. This includes using humanitarian aid as a strategic tool to maintain regional balance and prevent refugee crises that could destabilize neighboring countries.

Kuwaiti political analyst Khaled Al-Ajmi points out that the UAE's vision is based on shared regional security. "You can't separate Sudan's stability from Red Sea and Gulf security," he explains. The UAE sees this as a complex crisis that needs broader partnerships across Arab, African, and international players to address underlying problems.

What makes the UAE's approach different is its refusal to impose solutions or exclude parties. Instead, it supports any process that opens real dialogue between Sudanese factions while keeping negotiation doors open for all sides.

In late October, the UAE presented a comprehensive roadmap to the UN Security Council with two main parts: addressing developments in Al-Fashir city and tackling the broader crisis. The plan calls for stronger action against using humanitarian aid as a weapon against civilians and establishing mechanisms to monitor all weapons entering Sudan.

The UAE's credibility got tested when Port Sudan authorities filed a case against it at the International Court of Justice. American political researcher Irina Tsukerman says the UAE handled this calmly, accepting the court's procedures to prove the accusations were baseless. The case was eventually dismissed, validating the UAE's legal position.

Security expert Yasser Abu Ammar describes the UAE's strategy as "preventive diplomacy" - combining humanitarian support, international pressure to stop fighting, and security coordination with regional parties to prevent conflict expansion. The goal is creating a negotiating environment where trust can gradually return between the warring sides.

This explains why UAE diplomats have been busy reaching out to Arab, African, and European capitals in recent months. Any lasting solution must restore Sudan's state institutions to their proper role, ensuring sustainable peace and preventing future conflicts from erupting again.