Criticism of the Visit by the President of the United Arab Emirates: Merz Must Call for an End to Support for the RSF Militia

Regarding the visit of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Berlin on September 10 and 11, Sarah Reinke, Director of Human Rights at the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), states: “We condemn the reception of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan by Federal President Steinmeier and Federal Chancellor Merz. Germany is courting a regime that finances and arms the RSF militia in Sudan. Without the UAE’s support, the Rapid Support Forces would not be able to continue the war with such cruelty and on such a scale. The RSF is responsible for genocide, war crimes, serious human rights violations, and forced displacement. This reception also undermines Germany’s efforts to protect the civilian population in Sudan. Chancellor Merz must unequivocally call on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to cease support for the RSF. At the same time, he should call on the UAE to use its influence to guarantee unimpeded access for urgently needed humanitarian aid to the suffering civilian population in Sudan.”

The human rights organization protested against the visit in Berlin on Thursday at 14:30 in front of the main station.

Background Information

Financial and Military Support for the RSF by the United Arab Emirates

• The UAE provides the RSF with extensive financial resources, weapons, and military training. In particular, the current drone war against the civilian population would not be possible without the UAE’s support.
• The UAE strategically uses this support for the RSF to expand its influence in Sudan while securing access to valuable raw materials. The exploitation of raw materials such as cobalt and gold is particularly significant. These resources are mined by Emirati companies in Sudan, smuggled into the UAE, refined there, and then exported. The UAE’s funding of the RSF is thus directly linked to the continuation of the war, which ensures the UAE unimpeded access to these resources.

The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan has documented the following forms of UAE support for the RSF:

• Logistical corridors through Chad: Regular cargo flights from locations in the UAE to Chad, from where military equipment and personnel—including foreign mercenaries—are transported to RSF-controlled areas in Sudan.
• Training camps in Libya: Locations in Benghazi, Kufra, and Jufra serve as hubs for foreign personnel and military equipment destined for the RSF. At these camps, RSF fighters receive specialized technical training in the use of weapons such as AK-47 rifles, RPG launchers, and heavy machine guns. The training is conducted by foreign military personnel, including Colombian citizens, and lasts up to three months.
• Recruitment of Colombian mercenaries: Since at least August 2024, the recruitment and deployment of foreign mercenaries—particularly former Colombian military personnel—have played a significant role. According to estimates, between 350 and 2,000 Colombian mercenaries have been recruited. One of the key figures, Colonel Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, was stationed in Abu Dhabi, while his wife coordinated recruitment in Colombia. Both were sanctioned by the UN Security Council on April 28, 2026.
• Training in the UAE: Mercenaries undergo approximately two months of military training at facilities such as Ghayathi, which includes, among other things, drone operations, indirect fire, and air defense systems.

This support enables the RSF to continue its war and further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. At the same time, the UAE benefits economically from the exploitation of Sudanese natural resources.