A confidential report submitted to the United Nations Security Council last week provides conclusive evidence that the United Arab Emirates hired Colombian mercenaries to support the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan. The document, obtained by Middle East Eye, outlines how Global Security Services Group, a UAE-based firm with strong government ties, moved these fighters into Sudan via transit routes through Libya, Somalia, and Chad. These regions are largely controlled by Emirati proxies, creating a logistical network that facilitated the deployment.
The investigators highlighted that the UAE-linked Puntland Maritime Police Force base in Bosaso, Somalia, served as a critical site for both transit and training. The mercenaries were subsequently trained in Abu Dhabi, Ghayathi, and al-Wathba in the UAE, as well as at the Bosaso facility. According to the report, these fighters played a significant role in military operations in Darfur, specifically during the siege and capture of el-Fasher. They provided combat support, including drone operations, artillery, and infantry assistance.
The city of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, fell to the RSF last October after a siege lasting over 500 days. Victims and eyewitnesses reported that during this operation, RSF fighters committed numerous atrocities, including rape, execution, and extortion of thousands of civilians. The UN Panel of Experts noted that the mercenaries were deployed through a complex network involving facilities in the UAE, Somalia, eastern Libya, and Chad. The UAE and other entities involved have denied wrongdoing, with the Emirati foreign ministry stating that it takes allegations about mercenaries very seriously.
This latest evidence emerges as Lana Nusseibeh, a prominent UAE diplomat, campaigns to become the next UN secretary-general. Sudan's ambassador to the UK, Babiker al-Siddig al-Amin, argued that the UAE's support for the RSF should not be overlooked in this process. He stated that those with the blood of the Sudanese people on their hands should not lead international institutions, suggesting that Nusseibeh's success would be a significant blow to the UN's credibility. Nusseibeh, who served as the UAE's permanent representative to the UN until 2024, has maintained her ability to be impartial on the conflict.
The race to replace Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is currently dominated by political maneuvering among the five permanent members of the Security Council. All five nations maintain significant economic and diplomatic ties with the UAE. While US President Donald Trump rejected several Latin American candidates, Nusseibeh is currently behind Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan in straw polls. The UAE has committed substantial investments to the US, France, and the UK, strengthening its strategic alliances with key UN members.
Diplomatic sources indicate that the US, Russia, France, and the UK are leaning toward supporting Nusseibeh, while China is not in favor of her candidacy. There have been reports of internal pressure within the UK government to back the Emirati candidate. David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, is said to have urged his brother, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, to support Nusseibeh. The IRC denied taking an official position, and a British government spokesperson stated that the UK is focused on selecting the most qualified candidate based on merit.
The current quarterly report follows an earlier draft that also asserted UAE involvement in supplying mercenaries. After investigators presented their findings in July, the UAE's UN ambassador demanded corrections for serious defects. Bahrain, a close ally, has blocked the report for months. Additionally, the AI company Anthropic established with high confidence that the UAE was behind an influence operation targeting UN experts and critics. The New York Times reported that GSSG, the company behind the mercenary deployment, was founded by a senior official in the Emirati presidency.
The situation highlights the ongoing tensions between the UN's investigative bodies and the geopolitical interests of major powers. The confidentiality of the report makes it difficult for the UAE to dismiss the findings publicly, adding pressure to the diplomatic landscape as the selection process for the new secretary-general nears its conclusion by the end of the year.
