UAE urges UN Security Council to expand Sudan arms embargo nationwide

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has called on the UN Security Council to broaden the arms embargo to all of Sudan and all parties involved in the ongoing conflict. The council recently agreed to extend the sanctions regime for a one-month period, following which the UAE urged the council to use the additional time to negotiate meaningful measures that could contribute to ending the hostilities and facilitating humanitarian access.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution on Friday, extending the sanctions on Sudan for one month, rather than another year, with the US warning it would not accept a longer extension without changes reflecting the realities of the conflict. US senior adviser Massad Boulos emphasized that maintaining the existing sanctions regime for a longer period is not an option and called for the council to negotiate an expansion of the embargo during this critical time for the Sudanese people.

Russia's UN Ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that Moscow would not support any expansion of the sanctions and questioned the timing of the request, given that Sudan's government and armed forces held significant advantages on the ground. The debate unfolds as fighting intensifies in Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile, and concerns grow over foreign military support and the flow of weapons and fighters into Sudan.

Some council members and civil society groups have advocated for expanding the sanctions regime to cover the entire country, with the UAE emphasizing that a military solution to the conflict is not feasible and that the only path to lasting peace lies in an independent, civilian-led transition free from the influence of warring parties and extremist groups.