US Senator Chris Van Hollen has introduced legislation seeking to halt American weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates until the United States certifies that the UAE is not arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, according to an early version of his announcement seen by Reuters.
Van Hollen has filed a joint resolution of disapproval in the Senate, while fellow Democrat Sarah Jacobs has filed one in the House of Representatives. Their effort is unlikely to win significant support in Congress as US administrations under presidents of both parties long have viewed the UAE as a vital regional security partner but would draw attention to a conflict that has become one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.
"The UAE is an important partner in the Middle East, but the United States cannot sit idly by as it aids and abets the humanitarian disaster in Sudan - we must use our leverage to try to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution," van Hollen said in a statement.