Rep. Sara Jacobs Leads Bill to Prohibit U.S. Arms Sales to UAE Until They Cease Support of RSF in Sudan
Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa, introduced legislation that would prohibit U.S. arms sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until the Biden Administration can certify that the UAE is no longer providing material support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. Reps. James P. McGovern (MA-02), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), and Dan Kildee (MI-08) are original cosponsors.
With the UAE’s support of the RSF, the war in Sudan has created the world’s largest internal displacement crisis and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises with over 25 million people – half of Sudan’s population – in dire need of humanitarian aid.
Rep. Sara Jacobs, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa, said: “The UAE has contributed to horrific levels of violence, bloodshed, and suffering in Sudan. I recently visited Sudanese refugees at the Chad border and I’ll never forget the look in the young children’s eyes who were still reeling from so much trauma and loss. No child should have their families, homes, and innocence ripped away from them. That’s why the U.S. must use all the leverage we have to stop the UAE from funding this war – including by banning all U.S. arms sales to the UAE. We will continue to push for peace, aid, justice, and accountability for the people of Sudan.”
Read the full bill text here.
Background: In March, Rep. Sara Jacobs traveled with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-12) to the Chad/Sudan border. They were the first members of Congress to visit Sudanese refugees at the border since the start of the war in Sudan last year. In December of 2023, Rep. Jacobs also led 10 colleagues in sending a letter to the UAE’s Foreign Minister urging the UAE to end its material support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.
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