WHY THE UAE WANTS CONTROL OVER SUDAN

Why would a wealthy petrostate like the UAE be so obsessed with destroying the Sudanese state via a genocidal ethno-mercenary militia? While the mainstream narrative is that Sudan harbours Islamists, the UAE-sponsored Rapid Support Forces militia also has Islamists in influential positions.

The dark reality behind the UAE’s war on the Sudanese people is simple: they are an inconvenient nuisance to Abu Dhabi’s aims to enact its imperial project and secure three of its major economic interests.

Despite lacking mines of its own, the UAE seeks to be the world’s leading gold exporter. This makes the RSF a crucial partner to an Emirati economy that is increasingly reliant on gold smuggled from Africa.
Controlling global trade routes is central to the UAE's imperial ambitions, Sudan’s positioning on the Red Sea makes it an Emirati target.
Despite being unable to grow its own food, the UAE wants to dominate the global food trade. And after those pesky Sudanese people failed to see a benefit from Emirati deals to exploit Sudan’s fertile land, they decided to fund a bloodthirsty militia’s attempt to remove the people from the land altogether.

Of course, supporting such a militia can be damaging for the UAE's reputation. But this is also what makes them a perfect partner.

With zero regard for human rights, and a total contempt for local communities, the RSF can guarantee the UAE’s control of Sudanese gold, ports and agriculture.

But ultimately - the blood of Sudanese lives is too cheap for the UAE's western allies to take any action, while Emirati cash is valuable enough to buy their silence.