Sudan Protects Africa from Foreign Interference, Claims FM. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — February 13, 2026 Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salem has alleged that his government is safeguarding Africa against external interventions in the ongoing civil war, now in its third year.
In an interview with Al Jazeera in Addis Ababa, Salem argued that the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary is a confrontation against external interference.
“The war currently being fought in Sudan is a war against foreign interference. It involves a large number of mercenaries and significant external intervention through funding and advanced weaponry,” Salem stated.
“Therefore, in Sudan, we are protecting Africa’s back by confronting this conspiracy. What is happening in Sudan is not only targeting our country, but the entire continent. ” Salem called on the African Union (AU) for support in stabilizing Sudan, suggesting that ending the suspension of Sudan’s AU membership, which has been in place since October 2021, would be beneficial for the continent.
The suspension followed the dismissal of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s government and the declaration of a state of emergency. Sudan has repeatedly accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of arming and funding the RSF. Last year, Sudan filed a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, charging it with “complicity in genocide” against the Masalit community in West Darfur state.
The UAE has strongly denied these allegations. Responding to new allegations that it financed and supported a training camp in Ethiopia for the RSF, a senior UAE official told The National that the Emirates “categorically rejects” these claims.
The official emphasized that the UAE is not a party to Sudan’s conflict and is focused on humanitarian aid and ceasefire efforts.
Saudi Arabia, a key supporter of Sudan’s government, condemned “foreign interference” in the conflict, including the “continued influx of illegal weapons, mercenaries, and foreign fighters. ” The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not specify the alleged foreign actors.
The AU’s Peace and Security Council met in Addis Ababa, addressing issues such as the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has resulted in an estimated 40,000 deaths and left over 21 million people facing acute food shortages.
The council did not reinstate Sudan’s membership but strongly condemned external interference and urged foreign actors to refrain from actions that would fuel conflict. United Nations-backed experts warned last week that acute malnutrition had reached famine levels in two more areas of Sudan’s Darfur region.
The council condemned violations against civilians, demanded unhindered humanitarian access, and protection for aid workers, and urged an immediate humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire.
Salem’s comments came as the council welcomed the return of Sudan’s transitional government to the capital, Khartoum, after nearly three years of operating from Port Sudan.
The situation in Sudan remains fluid, with further details expected.
