Sudan has filed a case against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for allegedly violating the Genocide Convention, accusing the Gulf state of financing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its activities in West Darfur. This legal action has also raised concerns about South Africa’s indirect involvement, as the country supplies arms to the UAE, prompting questions about its role in the conflict.
Dr. Atilla Kisla, International Justice Cluster Lead at the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, commented on South Africa’s connection to the case: “It truly is a mess. While South Africa is not directly involved in the conflict, it may be contributing to the problem on the ground.”
“Over the years, the UAE has been one of South Africa’s most loyal and significant arms buyers. In 2023, Sudan accused the RSF of committing acts of genocide. That same year, South Africa exported nearly R88 million in arms, including armed vehicles, ammunition, and technology for bombs, rockets, and drones. This does not reflect well on South African exports.”
He further noted, “Looking back to 2022, South Africa sold arms worth R618 million to the UAE.”
Kisla explained that under South African law, an oversight committee is responsible for regulating arms exports to ensure compliance with human rights considerations and international law. “One could argue that regulations should prevent the transfer of weapons to other conflicts. However, the mechanism known as end-user certificates has not proven to be very effective in this context,” he said.
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