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Lana Nusseibeh, the candidate for the UN leadership, remains silent on Sudan
The UAE’s silence. The former UAE minister, the favourite to succeed Guterres, promises to make Sudan a priority but continues to avoid any reference to Abu Dhabi’s role. In the background are accusations of support for the RSF militias and pressure from the UAE on the UN
Lana Nusseibeh – photo: Ansa
It appears that the Emirati candidate for the role of the next UN Secretary-General, former Foreign Minister Lana Nusseibeh, remains in a stronger position than the other names being bandied about. The United States, Politico reported, has ruled out her rivals. Rumours picked up by the American newspaper suggest that Nusseibeh has caught the White House’s attention; indeed, recent history shows that the Trump administration has always had a soft spot for the United Arab Emirates. The latest chapter in a long-standing “special relationship” between Washington and Abu Dhabi was recently described by Matthew Cole in his latest book, Princes and Thieves, in which the journalist linked two billion dollars from slush funds belonging to Gulf state leaders to Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in an attempt to influence U.S. policy.
But there is more to it than that – something far more concrete and substantiated – which is causing difficulties for Nusseibeh’s candidacy: Sudan. Direct questions put to the candidate as to why she has never condemned the UAE’s support for the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – the paramilitary militias accused of genocide by the UN – remain stubbornly unanswered. The former minister says she is no longer the voice of the Abu Dhabi government. She reiterated this yesterday in response to Politico, which had returned to the subject of the UAE’s involvement in Sudan and Nusseibeh’s silence: “It is clear to me that the RSF must be held to account for the atrocities committed, and I would support a UN fact-finding mission,” she said. “The situation in Sudan is horrific and would be a priority for me as UN Secretary-General.”
Hiding behind the necessary ‘impartiality’ required by such a prestigious post, Nusseibeh has once again failed to mention the UAE. Conversely, there are those who recall his role in the Gulf state’s lobbying efforts to prevent the European Parliament from passing a resolution in 2025 condemning the UAE’s actions in Sudan. Today, a report by UN experts is still awaiting approval, precisely because of pressure from the UAE. After all, silence has always been Abu Dhabi’s most powerful weapon.