UAE urges UN Security Council to expand Sudan arms embargo nationwide

The United Arab Emirates has called on the United Nations Security Council to extend the arms embargo to all of Sudan, not just the strife-torn Darfur region. The UAE argued that such a measure would help curb the flow of weapons to the warring factions, shield civilians from harm, and advance the prospects for ending the conflict.

In a statement, the UAE said the council should use the extra month to reach agreement on practical steps that address the conflict's realities and hasten its resolution. The UN Security Council on Friday approved a US proposal to renew sanctions on Sudan for one month, rather than extending the current sanctions for another year.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that a prolonged extension without changes reflecting the conflict's current conditions would not be tolerated. Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, vowed Moscow would not back any expansion of sanctions, insisting the resolution should remain a technical extension. The debate unfolds as fighting escalates in several Sudanese states and advanced weaponry like drones proliferates.

Some members of the council and civil society groups have urged the sanctions regime, which currently targets Darfur, to be broadened across the whole country. The UAE said it would persist in working with partners to find a political resolution, stressing that no military solution exists and that the only route to lasting peace is a civilian-led transition unencumbered by the warring parties and extremists.