• Social media users accuse the UAE of backing Sudan’s RSF militia.

• Activists and celebrities call for boycotts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

• Rights groups link Emirati firms to gold and weapons networks tied to the war.

Sudan’s civil war, now in its third year, has drawn renewed global attention after a surge in fighting across Darfur. As Pope Leo XIV urged an immediate cease-fire on November 2, growing outrage on social media targeted the United Arab Emirates over its alleged role in the conflict.

The UAE, Sudan’s top buyer of gold, is accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group fighting the national army. Hashtags like #BoycottUAE and #BoycottDubai are trending on X, TikTok, and Instagram. Climate activist Greta Thunberg posted calls to shun travel to the Emirates, while U.S. rapper Macklemore canceled a 2024 concert, citing Emirati backing of the RSF.

The online campaign comes as the war’s toll mounts, with more than 15 million people displaced and at least 150,000 killed, according to multiple estimates.

Trade ties and weapons allegations

Abu Dhabi’s role in Sudan’s war remains murky. The UAE maintains close economic ties with Sudan’s government, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and serves as a key trading partner. Data from Sudan’s central bank show the UAE imported roughly 90% of the country’s legal gold exports in the first half of 2025. The World Gold Council ranks Sudan fifth in Africa, with 74 tons of output in 2024.

At the same time, Sudan’s army accuses Abu Dhabi of supplying arms to RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. The RSF has been accused by the United States and the United Nations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Wall Street Journal and other outlets, citing U.S., Libyan, and European intelligence sources, reported similar findings.

Amnesty International said in May 2025 that Chinese-made guided bombs and howitzers were re-exported through the UAE to the RSF. “The presence of recently manufactured Chinese bombs in North Darfur is a clear violation of the arms embargo by the UAE,” said Brian Castner, Amnesty’s crisis research director. “The UAE must halt its arms transfers to the RSF immediately. Until they do, all international arms transfer to the UAE must also stop.”

A report by The Sentry in October 2025 detailed a network of companies operating from Dubai that are linked to RSF financiers. The firms allegedly converted Sudanese gold mined illegally into cash through local trading and jewelry businesses, several of which have since been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union.

Sudan’s government canceled a $6 billion port deal with the UAE last year, further straining relations. The RSF’s recent battlefield gains in western Sudan could reshape power dynamics and reopen questions about control over gold exports and Red Sea access—two areas where Emirati interests are strong.

Regional rivalries at play

The UAE denies any military involvement, saying it strongly rejects claims that it provides weapons to any party in the Sudanese conflict. Abu Dhabi has also called for a cease-fire and a return to civilian rule.

The war, however, involves a wider mix of regional powers. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and Russia are all backing opposing factions based on their political and strategic interests.

The European Council on Foreign Relations stated in a July 2025 report that the complexity and regional scope of the conflict make it impossible for any single multilateral body to resolve it alone, adding that only a broad international diplomatic effort can end the violence.