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Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and UAE’s Mohammed Bin Zayed engaged in a mediated phone call on Thursday, which was facilitated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. According to multiple Sudanese and diplomatic sources, Abiy had arranged the call following his visit to Port Sudan and amidst the backdrop of a significant $817 million bilateral currency swap agreement between the UAE Central Bank and the National Bank of Ethiopia.
This conversation marked the first direct contact between the two leaders since June 2023, when the Sudanese army accused the UAE at the UN Security Council of providing weapons and support to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with which the army has been in conflict since April last year.
Sources close to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) indicated that the phone call was proposed during Abiy’s visit to Port Sudan the previous week. During this visit, Burhan accompanied Abiy through Sudan’s wartime capital, leading to speculation about the secrecy surrounding discussions between the leaders, both experienced in civil conflicts.
“During Abiy Ahmed’s visit, he persuaded Burhan to ease tensions with the UAE, conveying the desire of Emirati leadership, including Mohammed bin Zayed to see an end to the war” source close to the army told Middle East Eye, a news outlet focused on the region.
Initially intended to remain confidential, the call was reported by the Emirati state news agency WAM, prompting contrasting narratives from Sudanese military circles and the UAE regarding its purpose and who initiated it. The discussions purportedly addressed accusations of UAE support for rebels and initiatives to resolve Sudan’s crisis, underscoring persistent diplomatic challenges.
The UAE persists in refuting allegations of arming and supporting the RSF, led by its longstanding ally Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the general and former Janjaweed commander recognized as Hemeti.
Prime Minister Abiy’s close ties with the UAE, his warming up to Al Burhan, his own experience in civil conflict at home, and his demonstrated neutral position on the conflict in Sudan could provide the breakthrough needed to ease tensions and possibly end Sudan’s devastating war.
In addition to seeking a peaceful end of Sudan’s war, recent agreements between Ethiopia and the UAE aim to enhance financial liquidity in local currencies and facilitate cross-border transactions through linked payment and messaging systems, signaling efforts to bolster economic ties amid ongoing regional tensions.
