France, Feb. 20 -- Since fighting erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the UAE has faced growing scrutiny over its alleged ties to the RSF.

This week, a UN fact-finding mission said atrocities committed by the RSF in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and one of the last major cities in the region outside RSF control, bore the "hallmarks of genocide".

Against that backdrop, attention has increasingly turned to the RSF's sources of funding. At the heart of the controversy lies gold - a resource that has become central to both Sudan's war economy and Dubai's status as a global trading hub.

For Abu Dhabi, engagement in Africa blends business interests with geopolitical ambition. For Suda...