UN Court declines jurisdiction in Sudan’s case against UAE

In a significant legal blow to Khartoum,the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has declined on May 5 to hear Sudan’s case accusing the United Arab Emirates of alleged involvement in the country’s conflict,citing a lack of jurisdiction.

Sudan had alleged that the UAE provided military and logistical support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the ongoing civil war,accusing the Gulf nation of enabling atrocities in Darfur.

However,the ICJ ruled by a majority of 14 to 2 that it could not proceed,as the UAE had exercised its right to opt out of Article 9 of the Genocide Convention — the clause that permits inter-state legal actions in genocide matters.

Senior official at the Emirati Foreign Ministry,Reem Ketait,said in a statement following the Court’s decision that it is “a clear and decisive affirmation of the fact that this case was utterly baseless.”

The UAE had previously dismissed the proceedings as a politically motivated spectacle devoid of legal merit.

Sudan’s application was unprecedented in that it sought to hold a third-party state accountable for allegedly fueling mass atrocities,rather than targeting direct perpetrators. The Sudanese government claimed the UAE facilitated weapons transfers and hired mercenaries on behalf of the RSF,resulting in systematic violence against non-Arab communities,particularly the Masalit.