A new investigation by The Sentry has revealed that Mohamed 'Hemedti' Hamdan Dagalo, leader of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, maintains close links to a property portfolio in the United Arab Emirates valued at up to $1.7 million—even as his forces wage a brutal civil war that has displaced millions of Sudanese citizens.
The report, released February 24, exposes the stark contrast between Hemedti's overseas assets and the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Sudan, where the conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces has created one of the world's worst displacement crises. The findings raise fresh questions about the UAE's role in African conflicts and the tensions between the Emirates' push for financial transparency and its complex regional entanglements.
In the Emirates, as across the Gulf, ambitious visions drive rapid transformation—turning desert into global business hubs. Yet this investigation highlights how the region's openness to international capital can create uncomfortable diplomatic complications, particularly when property ownership intersects with ongoing armed conflicts.
The Sentry, a Washington-based investigative organization focused on conflict financing, traced property holdings in Dubai and other Emirates that appear connected to Hemedti and his immediate family circle. The investigation utilized property records, corporate registries, and financial documentation to map the RSF leader's apparent real estate footprint in the UAE.
Gulf Involvement in African Conflicts
The revelations come amid growing scrutiny of Gulf states' involvement in Sudan's civil war, which erupted in April 2023 and has since killed tens of thousands while displacing more than 10 million people. International observers have repeatedly pointed to external actors—including regional powers—as playing significant roles in sustaining the conflict through weapons supplies, financial support, and diplomatic cover.
The UAE has long maintained strategic interests across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor, investing heavily in port infrastructure, agricultural projects, and military partnerships. Dubai and Abu Dhabi position themselves as neutral mediators and business hubs, but critics argue this neutrality sometimes provides cover for actors involved in destabilizing conflicts.
For the Emirates, the challenge lies in balancing its aspirations as a transparent, rules-based financial center—epitomized by initiatives like the Dubai Financial Centre and ongoing anti-money laundering reforms—with the reality that its open economy and cosmopolitan property market attract capital from across the Middle East and Africa, including from politically controversial sources.
Property Holdings and Transparency Questions
The Sentry's investigation identified multiple properties apparently linked to Hemedti through family members and associated entities. While the $1.7 million valuation represents a relatively modest sum in Dubai's luxury property market—where penthouses routinely sell for tens of millions—the symbolic weight is substantial.
The RSF leader's alleged property ownership stands in stark contrast to the homelessness inflicted on millions of Sudanese by the war his forces are waging. International humanitarian organizations describe the situation in Sudan as catastrophic, with famine conditions spreading and healthcare systems collapsed across large swaths of the country.
For the UAE, the revelations pose a diplomatic dilemma. The Emirates has worked to position itself as a leader in financial transparency within the Gulf region, implementing beneficial ownership registries, strengthening anti-money laundering frameworks, and cooperating with international financial crime investigations. The government frequently highlights these efforts as part of its broader economic diversification strategy and its ambition to compete with established Western financial centers.
Yet property ownership by controversial regional figures complicates this narrative. While owning real estate is not illegal, the optics of militia leaders maintaining assets in Dubai while their organizations commit documented human rights abuses creates reputational risks for the Emirates' carefully cultivated image.
Regional Diplomacy and Strategic Calculations
The UAE's relationship with Sudan predates the current conflict. Abu Dhabi invested significantly in Sudanese agriculture and infrastructure during the transition period following the 2019 ouster of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. Emirati officials viewed Sudan as a strategic partner in the Red Sea region and a potential anchor for Gulf influence in East Africa.
As the civil war intensified, the Emirates faced accusations—which it has consistently denied—of providing support to the RSF. International investigators and human rights organizations have documented weapons flows into Sudan, though definitively tracing arms supplies in complex conflict zones remains challenging.
The property revelations add another dimension to these allegations, suggesting financial and possibly personal ties between RSF leadership and the UAE that extend beyond state-to-state relations into individual wealth management and asset protection.
For Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the strategic calculation involves weighing the benefits of engagement with regional actors against the reputational costs of association with armed groups accused of atrocities. The Emirates has traditionally prioritized stability and business relationships over ideological alignment, a pragmatism that has enabled its rapid economic rise but occasionally generates diplomatic friction.
Implications for UAE Financial Reputation
The Sentry investigation arrives at a sensitive moment for the UAE's financial sector. The Emirates is actively courting international businesses, cryptocurrency firms, and wealth management operations, marketing itself as a more business-friendly alternative to traditional Western financial centers. Recent regulatory reforms aimed at improving transparency represent part of this pitch.
However, investigations revealing property holdings by controversial figures risk undermining these efforts. International banks and compliance officers scrutinize jurisdictions for financial crime risks, and patterns of ownership by politically exposed persons—particularly those involved in armed conflicts—can trigger enhanced due diligence requirements or even restrictions on transactions.
The UAE government has not yet publicly responded to The Sentry's findings. Previous investigations into similar matters have sometimes prompted regulatory action, enhanced screening of property transactions, or diplomatic pushback against the allegations.
As the Emirates continues its transformation from oil-dependent economy to diversified business hub, managing the tensions between openness and oversight, between neutrality and complicity, remains a persistent challenge. The balance between welcoming international capital and preventing the financial system from being exploited by malign actors will shape the Emirates' reputation—and its success—in the global economy for years to come.
