Keypoints:
- Online campaign targets UAE and Dubai
- Abu Dhabi denies aiding RSF
- Analysts warn of reputation risks
THE United Arab Emirates is facing intensifying backlash online as activists accuse it of playing a hidden role in Sudan’s war and urge a boycott of Dubai. The campaign has surged following reports of mass atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after the fall of Al Fasher, the Sudanese army’s remaining stronghold in Darfur.
Abu Dhabi has repeatedly dismissed claims that it supports the RSF, despite accusations from Sudan’s army-aligned government, UN experts and several international organisations. But the allegations have flourished across social platforms, intertwining outrage over the Darfur crisis with criticism of the UAE’s regional ambitions.
The phrase ‘habibi boycott Dubai’—a pointed twist on the city’s famous ‘habibi come to Dubai’ promotional slogan—has become the rallying cry of the movement. Analysts say the slogan has resonated precisely because it targets a city central to the UAE’s global identity, renowned for luxury tourism, soft power and high-end commerce.
Influencers amplify campaign as Darfur horrors mount
Online anger escalated after reports of mass killings, sexual violence and other abuses surfaced following the RSF’s capture of Al Fasher in late October. These accounts, shared by Sudanese activists and international monitors, have heightened scrutiny of alleged RSF backers.
The campaign gained major traction when climate activist Greta Thunberg and US rapper Macklemore—who together reach over 20 million followers—posted messages endorsing ‘habibi boycott Dubai’. Their posts described the RSF as ‘the UAE’s hand in Sudan’, adding momentum to calls for global action.
Sudanese commentators and regional activists have echoed the criticism. One X user, Anis Mansour, accused the UAE of being ‘the main financier of genocide in Sudan’. Another, Bint Khalifa, claimed the country was prolonging ‘the Sudanese tragedy, under the guise of humanitarian aid.’
The backlash reflects a growing sense among Sudanese that international attention has long neglected their conflict, leaving civilians to absorb the fallout of power struggles involving external actors.
Abu Dhabi calls accusations ‘propaganda’
Responding to the campaign, the Emirati foreign ministry told AFP that it had seen ‘a marked increase in unfounded accusations and deliberate propaganda from the so-called Port Sudan Authority,’ referring to Sudan’s army-controlled government. The UAE reiterated that it supports neither side in the conflict and condemned abuses committed by both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Despite the firm denials, analysts note that reputational damage is a particular vulnerability for a country that has invested heavily in its global image. Dubai, in particular, has positioned itself as a finance, travel and entertainment hub—a strategy that depends on international goodwill.
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute, said the online campaign poses real risks. ‘The campaign could be damaging to the Emirati brand as the situation in Sudan has cut through into wider consciousness,’ he said. ‘Dubai in particular has a reputation as a soft power magnet that may be damaged.’
Others caution that the full impact is uncertain. Emadeddin Badi, a researcher at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, said the UAE has historically been highly sensitive to negative publicity. ‘Now they’re experiencing perhaps some reputational backlash, which they tend to be averse to,’ he told AFP.
Muted diplomatic pressure despite rising scrutiny
International pressure remains limited for now. However, recent remarks from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggest growing frustration. He urged unnamed countries to stop supplying weapons to the RSF, saying ‘some country, and we know who they are,’ is enabling the group’s military capacity. He declined to directly name the UAE.
Diplomats say Washington’s caution reflects the UAE’s strategic importance as a security and economic partner—a factor that may blunt the immediate effects of the online campaign.
For Sudanese activists, though, the significance lies in raising global awareness. After years of violence, displacement and political collapse, the renewed spotlight on Darfur offers a rare opening to pressure governments and institutions that have shaped Sudan’s trajectory.
As the conflict continues, the UAE finds itself navigating a sensitive intersection of public image, geopolitical alliances and humanitarian fallout—while Dubai, its showcase city, becomes the unexpected ground zero of a global protest movement.
