U.S. Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Block Arms Sales to UAE Over Support for Janjaweed in Sudan

U.S. Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Block Arms Sales to UAE Over Support for Janjaweed in Sudan

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa, reintroduced the Stand Up for Sudan Act, which would prohibit U.S. arms sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until the UAE ceases its material support to the Rapid Support Militia (Janjaweed) in Sudan.

The civil war in Sudan has led to the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 30 million Sudanese—nearly two-thirds of the population—now in need of humanitarian assistance. Amid this devastation, mounting evidence has pointed to the UAE supplying weapons to the Janjaweed, fueling the conflict and enabling widespread atrocities.

Senator Van Hollen strongly condemned the UAE’s role, stating, “Millions of people in Sudan are enduring a humanitarian crisis as civil war has torn apart the country. By providing weapons to the RSF, the UAE is aiding and abetting genocide. Their continued weapons shipments also directly contradict the assurances they provided to the United States. While the UAE has been an important partner in the Middle East, America should not provide weapons to any nation profiting from the RSF’s atrocities. That’s why we must stop providing offensive military support to the UAE until we know that they are no longer supporting the RSF in Sudan.”

Representative Sara Jacobs reinforced this stance, emphasizing that the U.S. must act decisively to end the war. She stated, “If we really wanted to, the United States could end the horrific civil war in Sudan. Instead, we’re continuing to sell weapons to the UAE, that in turn arms the RSF and fuels their genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing. I will continue to do everything in my power to end this war – and that’s why I’m proud to reintroduce bicameral legislation to prohibit U.S. arms sales to the UAE until they stop aiding the RSF.”

The Stand Up for Sudan Act would prohibit the sale or authorization of licenses for the export of certain major defense articles covered under the Arms Export Control Act to the UAE. The restriction would remain in place until the President certifies to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the UAE has ceased providing military support to the Janjaweed in Sudan.

This legislation follows the lawmakers’ previous efforts to push the U.S. administration to secure assurances that the UAE would not supply weapons to the RSF and to ensure strict monitoring of compliance. Despite these assurances, reports confirm that the UAE has continued arming the Janjaweed, directly contradicting its commitments to Washington. The U.S. has already formally accused the RSF of genocide, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing in Sudan, making continued UAE support a direct challenge to U.S. policy.

The reintroduction of this bill comes as Sudan has escalated its efforts to hold the UAE accountable on the global stage. On March 6, 2025, Sudan filed a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Abu Dhabi of violating the Genocide Convention by funding and arming the Janjaweed militia. This legal action is backed by substantial evidence, including reports from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters, which confirm UAE weapons shipments, covert supply lines, and the use of Emirati drones in RSF operations. These revelations have fueled growing international scrutiny, as Sudan pushes for accountability for foreign actors enabling war crimes.

For the full text of the Stand Up for Sudan Act, visit:
vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-rel…

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