UN Security Council delays discussion on Sudan’s complaint against UAE
April 29, 2024 (NEW YORK) – The UN Security Council postponed deliberations on Sudan’s complaint against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until May, at Britain’s request.
The originally scheduled meeting was set to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, arms flow violations, and Sudan’s accusations of UAE aggression through alleged support for paramilitary forces fighting the Sudanese army.
In statements to Sudanese state television, Sudan’s Ambassador, Al-Harith Idris, claimed the postponement was a procedural reason due to a missing English translation of the complaint. He emphasized that the delay “won’t prevent the UAE from being condemned,” and the discussion will move to Mozambique’s presidency in May.
Idris criticized the intervention of Britain, the penholder for Sudan (the country currently responsible for drafting resolutions on Sudan), calling it “arbitrary and lacking neutrality.”
Monday’s session was originally planned as a private meeting to which non-member states could be invited. However, the Security Council meeting format has been changed to closed consultations, and participation by non-member states like Sudan is no longer allowed.
The Sudanese ambassador suggested that the UAE was rattled by the complaint and pressured Western Security Council members to postpone the meeting.
This follows a Sunday report in The Times (UK) indicating that the UAE cancelled ministerial meetings with Britain due to a perceived lack of support for the UN accusations against their country.
The UAE denies all involvement in the Sudanese conflict and calls the allegations “baseless” in a letter to the Security Council. Their representative, Lana Nusseibeh, claims the accusations are a distraction from the conflict’s humanitarian crisis.
(ST)