Key facts
- A UK foreign office event at Wilton Park is underway, featuring representatives from the RSF's political wing and the UAE.
- Sudan's army-backed government was not invited to the conference.
- The RSF is widely accused of committing genocide in Darfur.
- The UAE denies supporting the RSF, despite evidence.
- UK arms exports to the UAE in the last three years total £422m ($565m).
A discreet conference organized by the UK Foreign Office at Wilton Park, focused on Sudan, has become controversial due to the attendance of a representative from the political wing of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and a delegation from the United Arab Emirates. The Sudanese army-backed government was notably excluded from the event, which runs from Wednesday to Friday.
The decision to include RSF and UAE representatives has drawn sharp criticism, particularly following testimony to a parliamentary committee suggesting the UK has prioritized its relationship with the UAE over addressing atrocities in Sudan. The RSF, engaged in a protracted conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023, faces widespread accusations of genocide in Darfur, including from the United Nations and the United States. The UAE has consistently denied providing support to the RSF, despite accumulating evidence.
Amgad Fareid Eltayeb, an adviser to Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, condemned the UK's approach, calling it a "pattern of complicity." He expressed skepticism about the discretion of the event, stating that discreet actions often hide questionable motives. Eltayeb highlighted documented UAE support for the RSF and voiced a lack of confidence in the British government's discreet efforts. He pointed out the contradiction between the UK issuing statements of concern about RSF atrocities and inviting RSF affiliates to discuss Sudan's future.
Further complicating the situation, a British policy expert involved in Sudan negotiations anonymously stated that it was "outrageous" that many key Sudanese figures deeply involved in the conflict were not invited to the Wilton Park event and were unaware of its proceedings. The conference takes place shortly after Ed Miliband's appointment as the UK's new Foreign Secretary. While Miliband has not yet publicly addressed Sudan's crisis, diplomatic sources suggest a possibility that he might challenge the UAE's role in the conflict, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced over 14 million people, creating the world's largest humanitarian crisis.