Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, called on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan.

In an interview at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit in Abu Dhabi, Mr Gargash said Sudan’s future should involve a civilian transition rather than a military junta.

Mr Gargash said Sudan is currently not letting the UAE play the humanitarian role it plays in Gaza, but expressed readiness to scale up efforts once it is allowed to.

The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting for control of Sudan since April 2023, creating the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

The hotspot for fighting is al-Fashir, the army’s last stronghold in the Darfur region, which the RSF aims to be its base for a parallel government it installed over the summer.

The Sudanese army accuses the United Arab Emirates of providing the RSF support, including advanced weaponry and mercenary fighters, charges the UAE has repeatedly denied.

Traders and officials said relations between the two countries have soured, and most recently, the UAE has imposed a de facto embargo on Sudanese gold, dealing a blow to the country’s economy. 

(Reuters/NAN)