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    The UAE and Sudan's Marketplace of Violence: Proxy War & RSF Arms

    12 min
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    Jul 18, 2026
    PoliticsHistory & SocietyFinance & Economics

    Explore how the UAE fuels Sudan's conflict by supplying arms to the RSF. Learn about the marketplace of violence, gold trade, and the Red Sea's geopolitical stakes.

    The UAE and Sudan's Marketplace of Violence: Proxy War & RSF Arms

    Best quote from The UAE and Sudan's Marketplace of Violence: Proxy War & RSF Arms

    “

    Sudan has been transformed into a geopolitical chessboard where regional powers treat human lives as expendable pieces in a high-stakes game for resources and influence. This isn't just about a local power struggle; it is about the blueprint for modern proxy warfare.

    ”
    B

    Generated by Bradshaw

    Input question

    Explain the UAE government's involvement in the Sudan conflict, specifically their support for the RSF (Rapid Support Forces). Cover the strategic interests, historical context of the relationship, and why they chose a side in the current war.

    Host voices
    Lenaplay
    Knowledge sources
    Targeting the Transnational Sources of Sudan's Violence
    link
    https://www.justsecurity.org/140395/sudan-war-third-parties/
    The falcons and the secretary bird: Arab Gulf states in Sudan’s war – European Council on Foreign Relations
    link
    https://ecfr.eu/publication/the-falcons-and-the-secretary-bird-arab-gulf-states-in-sudans-war/
    Inside the secret network fueling Sudan's war - Lighthouse Reports
    link
    https://www.lighthousereports.com/investigation/inside-the-secret-network-fueling-sudans-war/
    How the UAE continued supporting Sudan's RSF through Haftar and Libya | Middle East Eye
    link
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/how-uae-continued-supporting-sudans-rsf-through-haftar-and-libya
    Gold and the war in Sudan | 04 How Sudan’s gold sector connects to a regional conflict ecosystem
    link
    https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/03/gold-and-war-sudan/04-how-sudans-gold-sector-connects-regional-conflict-ecosystem
    Abu Dhabi’s Strategic Footprint in Sudan’s Civil Conflict | Atlas Institute for International Affairs
    link
    https://atlasinstitute.org/abu-dhabis-strategic-footprint-in-sudans-civil-conflict/

    Frequently Asked Questions

    The United Arab Emirates acts as the most consequential external player in the Sudan conflict by providing a continuous supply of arms to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This involvement transforms a local struggle between generals into a global marketplace of violence. By projecting its will across the African continent, the UAE uses its influence to secure strategic interests in maritime logistics and regional resources while shaping the future of the Red Sea.

    The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, sustain their operations through a steady influx of weapons and support from external powers like the UAE. This paramilitary group is a central figure in a high-stakes game for control over Sudan's gold and food security. The conflict is further complicated by the arrival of private mercenaries from South America, who are quietly flown into African battlefields to support these strategic military efforts.

    The conflict is described as a marketplace of violence because regional powers treat human lives as expendable pieces in a geopolitical chessboard. It is a blueprint for modern proxy warfare where humanitarian symbols are sometimes used to cover for weapons shipments. This high-stakes environment is driven by the pursuit of gold, control over the Red Sea, and maritime logistics, resulting in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis with nearly 400,000 lives lost.

    The geopolitical stakes in Sudan involve control over the Red Sea, ownership of vast gold reserves, and long-term food security. Middle-order powers like the UAE use the conflict to project influence across Africa and secure essential maritime logistics. This struggle has turned Sudan into a proxy war battlefield, where strategic regional interests outweigh humanitarian concerns, leading to massive displacement and a catastrophic loss of life across the country.

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    Key Takeaways

    1

    The Transnational Marketplace of Violence

    0:00
    2

    The Logic of the Autocratic Preference

    1:28
    3

    A Strategy Carved in Gold and Soil

    3:00
    4

    The Desert Logistics of Covert Support

    4:28
    5

    Mercenaries and the Global Marketplace

    5:58
    6

    A Regional Arms Race for Influence

    7:22
    7

    The Impunity of Strategic Partnerships

    8:42
    8

    Navigating the Path to Stability

    10:08

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