Lawmakers and rights groups press for sanctions, ICC backing and scrutiny of UAE arms links to Sudan war
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Summary
At a House subcommittee hearing witnesses and members urged stronger sanctions and legal steps — including ICC support, CPC designation, and scrutiny of arms sales to the UAE — while State Department officials said the U.S. is pressing partners and imposing targeted sanctions.
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers and witnesses at a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing advocated a suite of accountability measures for actors fueling Sudan’s conflict, and raised alarms over arms flows that may be prolonging mass atrocities.
Multiple members and nongovernmental witnesses accused the United Arab Emirates of materially supporting the Rapid Support Forces. "We've seen...reports detailing The UAE's funneling of weapons to the RSF," Ranking Member Jacobs said, and lawmakers repeatedly asked whether ongoing U.S. arms sales to the UAE risk enabling onward transfers.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Vincent Sparrow emphasized diplomatic pressure and sanctions but stopped short of confirming operational leverage over partners: "We've been making the case at the highest levels and working through the quad..." Sparrow cited recent sanctions on Colombian mercenaries and said the department will continue to hold malign actors accountable.
Human Rights Watch urged Congress to bolster accountability, telling members "these abuses amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity" and recommending stronger congressional support for ICC investigations, expanded use of the Global Magnitsky tool, and targeted designations. Witnesses also urged careful legal drafting to protect humanitarian carve‑outs if the RSF is designated a foreign terrorist organization.
Members raised legal and operational concerns about sanctions and investigations, including how U.S. sanctioning of ICC staff or contractors can impede accountability work. Nicole Wittershein told the panel the ICC "has 11 active cases on Sudan" and that sanctions or licensing regimes that chill cooperation could hinder prosecutions.
The hearing did not produce formal votes but produced a clear set of proposals for follow‑up: targeted sanctions on suppliers and financial conduits, sustained diplomatic pressure on Quad partners, potential FTO designation for the RSF, support for ICC work, and legislative oversight of U.S. arms sales to the UAE.