Sudan’s genocide allegations against UAE rejected by ICJ
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on May 5th dismissed Sudan’s case accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of complicity in genocide in Darfur, ruling it lacked jurisdiction to hear the dispute.
As reported by The Arab Weekly plus agencies, Sudan had argued before the UN’s top court last month that the UAE violated the 1948 Genocide Convention by supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries accused of atrocities in Darfur.
However, the UAE denied the allegations and requested the case be thrown out.
The ICJ agreed, rejecting Sudan’s request for emergency measures and striking the case from its docket.
Due to its lack of jurisdiction, “the court is precluded by its statute from taking any position on the merits of the claims made by Sudan,” the court’s summary stated.
The UAE welcomed the ICJ ruling of the genocide allegations as a legal victory.
“This decision is a clear and decisive affirmation of the fact that this case was utterly baseless. The court’s finding that it is without jurisdiction confirms that this case should never have been brought,” said Reem Ketait, deputy assistant minister for political affairs at the UAE’s foreign ministry.
“The facts speak for themselves: the UAE bears no responsibility for the conflict in Sudan. On the contrary, the atrocities committed by the warring parties are well-documented.”
By a vote of 14 to 2, the court also denied Sudan’s plea for provisional measures to prevent alleged genocidal acts against the Masalit ethnic group, who have faced brutal attacks by RSF forces and allied Arab militias in West Darfur.
The war has triggered what aid agencies call the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises. Famine has officially hit five areas across Sudan, according to a UN-backed assessment.
UN experts and US lawmakers have found the accusations credible, though the most recent UN panel report in April mentioned the UAE only in the context of peace negotiations.
The ICJ voiced concern about the worsening humanitarian crisis, saying the conflict had caused “untold loss of life and suffering,” particularly in West Darfur.
The court’s decision closes the case for now, while the humanitarian crisis and conflict in Sudan continue to draw international concern.
The Arab Weekly/Maghrebi
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