UAE Tries to Rewire Supply Routes to Sudan’s RSF via Ethiopia & Central African Republic

The United Arab Emirates is restructuring its logistical network to sustain supply lines to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), shifting routes through neighboring states as existing corridors face pressure.

According to a report by Lemonde, An Airbus A300 cargo aircraft departed around 7 pm on March 17, likely from Fujairah with its transponder switched off, heading toward Addis Ababa. The aircraft, registered as TL-AIT in the Central African Republic since January, had completed at least nine similar trips over the preceding month, though final destinations remain unclear due to limited airspace monitoring.

The aircraft was previously linked to Gewan Airways, a subsidiary of NG9 Holding associated with the UAE president’s brother. According to Le Monde, both TL-AIT and another A300, TL-ARU, are now tied to Invicta Air Cargo, a company established in August 2025 in Bangui.

Despite efforts to obscure ownership, its digital footprint connects back to Gewan Airways.

These movements illustrate a broader shift in supply architecture. As the traditional supply routes UAE-backed RSF has used face scrutiny, the UAE is developing alternative routes via Ethiopia and the Central African Republic, including a training camp established in Ethiopia exposed by a Reuters investigation.

A January analysis also cited Antonov AN-124 flights linking Abu Dhabi, Israel, Bahrain, and Ethiopia as part of a broader supply chain tied to RSF operations. These routes reflect intensifying Gulf competition over Sudan’s conflict dynamics.

In the Central African Republic, the UAE has expanded its footprint following a March 6, 2025 agreement between Mohammed bin Zayed and President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. Projects include a new international airport and a solar power plant in Bangui.

Analyst Charles Bouessel of the International Crisis Group said this expansion is “probably motivated by the Emiratis’ desire to make the country a gateway for their arms deliveries to Sudan.”

According to regional sources, shipments have transited through Bangui and Birao before the RSF captured El-Fasher in October 2025.

In Chad, the nearly 1,400-kilometer border with Sudan was closed on February 23 amid escalating violence.

Meanwhile, the Amdjarass airfield, once active between 2023 and 2025, is no longer used, with flights now operating more discreetly and often without transponders.

Libya remains a primary corridor. According to Radio France Internationale, around 600 flights connected Abu Dhabi to the Koufra airbase in 2025, supporting RSF positions in El-Fasher and Nyala.

The evolving logistics network coincides with mounting scrutiny of the UAE’s role. Western intelligence sources cited in December 2025 said Abu Dhabi had supplied weapons to the RSF, a force accused of mass atrocities.

Separately, The Telegraph reported in March that Sky News plans to end its partnership with Sky News Arabia, citing allegations that the UAE-backed outlet downplayed atrocities linked to the RSF.