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Gargash Meets Hemedti, Pledges UAE Support for Sudan

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash speaks during a press conference in the UAE (AP)
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash speaks during a press conference in the UAE (AP)
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Gargash Meets Hemedti, Pledges UAE Support for Sudan

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash speaks during a press conference in the UAE (AP)
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash speaks during a press conference in the UAE (AP)

The United Arab Emirates has stressed its full commitment to support Sudan’s development projects. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash arrived on Monday to Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, in a two-day visit.

Gargash met with Deputy Head of the Transitional Military Council (TMC) Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as “Hemedti”, along with a number of ministers in the transitional government. He said his country is aware of the current conditions Sudan is going through, stressing the necessity of joining efforts of friendly and brotherly countries to support it during this stage.

Following his talks with Sudanese Finance Minister Ibrahim el-Badawi, Gargash affirmed the UAE government’s persistence to develop relations with Sudan.

“The UAE is fully committed to Sudan’s success and to its economic and regional take-off to be able to play its natural role as one of the biggest and most important Arab countries,” Gargash told reporters.

He pointed to the firm historical ties and common interests between the UAE and Sudan, especially their geostrategic and economic relations.

The UAE Minister said his visit comes as part of a series of exchanged visits between officials from both countries to discuss various economic and political issues. He is scheduled to meet a large number of Sudanese officials to discuss means of bolstering bilateral cooperation. He also expressed pride in the Sudanese community in the UAE, which amounts to about 100,000 people, praising their contributions to his country’s experience. Badawi, for his part, said Gargash’s visit comes in the framework of UAE officials’ interest in supporting the great transformation in Sudan, adding that their meeting tackled developments of relations and means of cooperation in various fields.

Gargash also held talks with Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador al-Siddiq Abdul-Aziz, tackling means of boosting bilateral relations. According to the foreign ministry, the two sides discussed regional and international issues of common concern and developments in the Arab and North African regions.

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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)

As Lebanese authorities proceed with the deportation of Egyptian activist Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, the son of the late cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to the United Arab Emirates, an Egyptian source involved in the case told Asharq Al-Awsat that Cairo plans to formally request his extradition from Abu Dhabi once he arrives there.

Controversy has surrounded the case since Lebanon announced that the government had approved the deportation of Qaradawi to the UAE instead of Egypt, where he holds citizenship.

Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that citizenship is not an obstacle in extradition cases between countries, saying that a state may decide to extradite a person to another country even if they hold the nationality of a third state, as in the case of Qaradawi’s son.

According to Lebanese sources, the decision to extradite Qaradawi to the UAE is based on a warrant issued by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. As a member of the council, Lebanon is obligated to comply with the UAE’s request, despite the absence of a direct bilateral extradition agreement between the two countries.

Additionally, the extradition decision was influenced by the fact that the charges against Qaradawi are criminal, not political, as political charges would prevent extradition and instead warrant protection under international conventions.

An Egyptian judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the International Cooperation Office of Egypt’s Public Prosecutor had prepared a comprehensive file containing all rulings issued against Qaradawi to ensure that the extradition request met all legal requirements. This file was sent to Lebanese judicial authorities through official channels. However, Egypt has yet to receive a response from Lebanon, though one is expected in the coming days.

Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Mehran, a member of the American and European societies for international law, told Asharq Al-Awsat that international law generally allows extradition when the individual is either a citizen of the requesting state, has committed a crime on its territory, or when the requesting state has a direct legal interest in the case.

As Qaradawi is an Egyptian citizen, Egypt “has the legal right to request his extradition under international law and bilateral agreements, provided all legal conditions are met,” Mehran said.

Meanwhile, Qaradawi’s lawyer, Mohammed Sablouh, confirmed plans to file an urgent appeal in Lebanese courts to prevent his client’s extradition, according to Reuters. Mehran explained that extradition laws grant the individual the right to appeal in court, while the requesting states also have the right to challenge decisions.

Mehran suggested that if Qaradawi is ultimately handed over to the UAE, it is highly likely he will later be extradited to Egypt after procedural requirements in the Emirates are fulfilled. This is due to the strong bilateral relations and close security coordination between Egypt and the UAE.

Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, who holds dual Egyptian and Turkish citizenship, was arrested in Lebanon on December 28 after returning from Syria. His arrest followed an Interpol red notice issued based on an in absentia ruling by an Egyptian court sentencing him to five years in prison for spreading false news, inciting violence, and terrorism. Before his arrest, Qaradawi appeared in a video filmed at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, where he made remarks considered offensive to both Egypt and the UAE.