UAE and EU Officials Coordinate Sudan Peace Strategy, Deepen Partnership

The United Arab Emirates and the European Union held high-level discussions in Abu Dhabi on December 11, 2025, as UAE Minister of State Lana Zaki Nusseibeh met with EU High Representative Josep Borrell Fontelles. The meeting focused on aligning the EU’s position on ongoing Red Sea security efforts and critically assessing avenues for resolving the protracted conflict in Sudan.

Minister Nusseibeh emphasized the UAE's continuous, intensive consultations regarding the devastating conflict in Sudan, positioning the nation as a central diplomatic participant in the region. A key element of the diplomatic coordination was the European Parliament's resolution adopted in September 2025, which Nusseibeh referenced as a significant step toward establishing a durable peace framework for an independent Sudan. This parliamentary action provides a basis for the comprehensive mediation efforts actively supported by the UAE, aligning with European observers who stress regional stability as fundamental for lasting peace.

The engagement between Nusseibeh and Borrell also initiated discussions for a new Strategic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the EU, intended to proceed alongside the ongoing Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations. This broader framework suggests an institutionalization of cooperation across various sectors, even as immediate regional crises demand attention. Borrell, in his role as High Representative, has concurrently addressed maritime security, particularly Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, where the EU’s naval mission is active.

The European Union continues to address the severe humanitarian consequences of the Sudanese conflict, which has resulted in over 25 million people facing food insecurity. The EU’s engagement includes supporting both the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces while simultaneously stressing the absolute necessity of an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian access via critical points like Port Sudan. This contrasts with claims by some European actors that the UAE provides support to the RSF, a claim the UAE has consistently denied.

In the realm of humanitarian response, the UAE is a significant global contributor. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 2025 report, the UAE is the second-largest financial supporter of the Sudanese people, surpassed only by the United States. Since the conflict began in April 2023, the UAE has provided approximately $784 million in relief, with its total aid commitment between 2014 and 2025 nearing $3.95 billion (Dh14.5 billion). This extensive support includes channeling $84 million through six major UN agencies, such as the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization, to deliver essential assistance to millions of vulnerable Sudanese.

Minister Nusseibeh also referenced the Quad coalition—comprising the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE—whose statement on September 12 outlined a realistic roadmap for Sudan, including a humanitarian truce and a transition to civilian governance, a priority also stressed in the EU foreign ministers' conclusions. The commitment to a civilian-led transition is echoed by the UAE, which maintains that Sudan's future cannot be determined by extremist factions. The discussions on December 11, 2025, thus represented a convergence of diplomatic efforts, linking immediate Red Sea security concerns with the complex political and humanitarian imperatives for achieving peace in Sudan.