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The UAE has pledged $500 million in aid to Sudan, garnering Washington donorsSudan has accused the UAE of supporting the paramilitary RSF
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U.S. Ambassador Boulos said $1.5 billion is expected to be pledged to Sudan
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Boulos says ‘we haven’t achieved much’ on humanitarian ceasefire
By Simon Lewis
WASHINGTON, – The United Arab Emirates pledged on Tuesday to contribute $500 million to a United Nations fund for humanitarian aid for Sudan, amid pressure from the United States to renew efforts toward a ceasefire in the conflict that is ravaging the country.
Sudan has accused the UAE of arming the paramilitary Rapid Assistance Force which is fighting the Sudanese army in a civil war that began in April 2023 – an allegation the UAE denies but UN experts and US lawmakers find credible.
Speaking at a donor event in Washington, UAE Minister of State Lana Nussibeh said her country wanted to see a ceasefire in the conflict without mentioning her country’s alleged support for the RSF.
Nussibeh previously said the UAE condemned violations by both warring parties and wanted to see an independent, civilian-led government in Sudan.
Massad Boulos, the US special envoy for Africa, said he expects to pledge a total of $1.5 billion in new funding at the Washington event, including an additional $200 million from the United States for Sudan. Other states represented at the event did not make clear pledges of new aid.
Pushing for a Ramadan ceasefire
The conflict in Sudan has killed thousands, displaced millions and spread famine across the vast country. Fighting has continued in several areas over the past few months, including the latest frontline in the South Kordofan region, where the army has claimed advances in recent days.
Boulos said Washington was pushing for a ceasefire to be agreed between Sudan’s sides before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on February 17.
Boulos acknowledged that progress was disappointing given that in November President Donald Trump would intervene to stop the conflict at the request of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“We hoped to achieve peace long ago,” Bolos said. “We have stepped up our efforts and we still haven’t really achieved that much, in terms of a humanitarian ceasefire, which was the first item on the milestone roadmap.”
Officials from Egypt and Saudi Arabia will meet with officials from the United States and the United Arab Emirates as part of a so-called quad grouping that is working on a U.S. peace proposal, Boulos said, adding that the text of a peace plan has been adopted by those groups.
The warring sides have yet to agree to a temporary ceasefire or a US peace plan, but Boulos said he hoped it would eventually be presented to the UN Security Council and then to Trump’s peace board.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without text modification
