Sudan

ICJ Dismisses Sudan's Genocide Case Against UAE

Published MAY 6 2025

Story

Above: UAE Ambassador to the Netherlands Ameirah Al Hefeiti speaks to journalists in the Hague on May 5, 2025, following the ruling in Sudan's case over alleged complicity in genocide. Image credit: Lex van Lieshout/Contributor/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday dismissed Sudan's case accusing the United Arab Emirates of genocide by allegedly arming and funding the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan's civil war, ruling that it "manifestly lacked" jurisdiction to proceed with the case.
ChimpReports
Reuters
Al Jazeera
While both Sudan and the UAE are signatories to the 1948 Genocide Convention, the UAE had entered a reservation to Article IX when it ratified the treaty in 2005, effectively opting out of the clause granting the ICJ jurisdiction over disputes regarding the convention.
Dw.Com
Guardian
The Pinnacle Gazette
By a 14-to-2 vote, the court rejected Sudan's request for emergency measures to prevent alleged genocidal acts against the Masalit tribe, an ethnic group inhabiting western Sudan and eastern Chad, and by a narrower 9-to-7 vote, ordered the case removed from its docket.
RFI
ChimpReports
Reuters
Sudan had filed the case in March, requesting provisional measures and arguing that the UAE's alleged logistical, financial, and military support to the RSF amounted to complicity in genocide against non-Arab communities.
Al Jazeera
RFI
Breitbart
The UAE categorically denied the accusations, with Deputy Assistant Minister Reem Ketait calling the case a "cynical publicity stunt" designed to distract from the Sudanese Armed Forces' own responsibility in the conflict that has displaced nearly 13 million people since April 2023.
nytimes
Breitbart
BBC News
The ICJ said its dismissal was based solely on jurisdiction, not the merits of Sudan's case, stressing that all states must still uphold obligations under the Genocide Convention.
Dw.Com
RFI
BBC News

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

The ICJ's ruling exposes a dangerous loophole that enables states to avoid accountability for complicity in genocide by exploiting legal technicalities. Allowing blanket reservations to Article IX undermines the Genocide Convention's core purpose: holding states judicially accountable. This decision risks silencing genocide while protecting powerful actors from scrutiny.

OkayAfrica

Guardian

Narrative B

The court's decision correctly upholds international legal principles regarding state sovereignty and treaty obligations. Sudan's case was a transparent attempt to weaponize international courts for political purposes and to deflect attention from its own military's conduct in the devastating civil war. The international community should focus on ending the conflict rather than pursuing baseless legal claims.

The National News

Narrative C

Despite the ICJ's dismissal of Sudan's case on jurisdictional grounds, credible reports suggest the UAE is complicit in Sudan's war. Investigations by experts and U.S. lawmakers indicate the UAE supplied arms and drones to the RSF, fueling the conflict. Leaked documents and eyewitness accounts point to direct Emirati involvement on the ground.