G7 leaders condemn external interference in Sudan

June 14, 2024 (ROME) – G7 leaders meeting in Italy today issued a pressing call to external actors to stop fuelling the escalating conflict in Sudan, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is accused of war crimes against civilians.

The call comes amid mounting international pressure on the UAE, with activists accusing the country of being the primary backer of the RSF. The paramilitary group is notorious for human rights abuses, including atrocities in Darfur reminiscent of the 2003-2006 counterinsurgency campaign where an estimated 300,000 people were killed.

In a statement, the G7 expressed grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan and urged “external actors to refrain from fuelling the conflict.”

The UAE has repeatedly denied backing the RSF. Anwar Gargash, a former UAE State foreign minister and current presidential adviser, posted a message on X on Friday stating, “The UAE’s position on the events in Sudan is clear and supportive of political solutions, and does not tolerate distortion or ignorance of the facts.”

The G7 summit also encouraged all Sudanese actors to engage in a national dialogue to restore civilian institutions and meet the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Since erupting in mid-April 2023, the conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has claimed over 15,000 lives and displaced or forced into refuge an estimated 10 million people, according to the UN. The ongoing violence has plunged the country into a humanitarian catastrophe.