November 5, 2025 | 09:32 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sudanese Ambassador Yassir Mohamed Ali mentioned that the prolonged conflict in his country is not unrelated to the economic interests of major countries in the Middle East and the West.
In an interview with Tempo at his residence in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, he accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE), along with Israel, the United States, and Britain, of playing a major role behind the war that has claimed thousands of civilian lives.
He also described the conflict afflicting his country not only as an internal war or a civil war, but as a "war of resources" involving foreign powers. "What is happening in Sudan is a war of resources," he said.
Yassir detailed that old colonial methods are now being used again to subdue African countries. "So, what do they want? They want to subdue others and acquire more land. This is greed," he said.
Ambition to Control Gold Routes and Ports
According to Yassir, the United Arab Emirates, under the leadership of Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ), is pushing an economic expansion agenda that he likened to a new form of colonialism.
"When Mohammed bin Zayed came to power, he had an agenda that I find irrational. They want to expand their influence as if they were a colonial power. They want to control ports in most parts of Africa to support Jabal Ali, their main port," he said.
He explained that all the gold from Sudan is being sent to the UAE. According to Yassir, the Gulf state wants to make Jabal Ali the regional trading center.
"The UAE has ambitions to become an economic center in the region," he said.
Yassir mentioned that all trade routes to Africa must pass through Jabal Ali.
"From there, goods are distributed to various ports. That's why they are building Dubai Port and want to manage many ports in East Africa and the Red Sea," he said.
UAE Allies in the Region
He added that this policy is not solely the UAE's agenda, but part of a broader strategy.
"The UAE is just part of that agenda. This agenda belongs to Israel, Britain, and the United States. The UAE is Israel's main ally in the region," he said.
He cited the close relationship between the two countries when Iran attacked Israel.
"At that time, UAE planes landed in Israel, flying both countries' flags. They called it a continuation of the Abraham Accords," he said.
He also accused Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar of helping to channel weapons from the UAE to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) involved in the war in Sudan.
"Haftar supports RSF. All weapons are sent through Haftar or sometimes directly by flights to Chad," Yassir said.
He stated that the vast wealth of the UAE is being used to prolong the war, as they have failed to control Sudan. "Now they want to weaken Sudan and force the government to submit to their will," he said.
Calls to Boycott the UAE
A report from The New Arab noted the increasing calls to boycott the UAE after the RSF, allegedly backed by the Emiratis, captured the city of El Fasher in northern Sudan.
More than 2,000 civilians were reported killed in just the first few hours.
On social media, the hashtag #boycottUAE was widely used along with posts saying "Habibi, boycott Dubai," shared by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
Meanwhile, on October 29, a post from the official Emirates Airlines account drew thousands of comments highlighting the UAE's role in Sudan.
"This is also how the UAE does business," wrote British podcaster Muhammad Jalal while showing a photo of a mother and child in Sudan at gunpoint.
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