The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently delivered 3,000 food packages to Sudanese refugees in Chad, supporting approximately 15,000 displaced individuals across three refugee camps: Dougui, Alacha, and Abougoudam. This initiative, launched in June 2025, forms part of the UAE’s broader humanitarian engagement in the Horn of Africa and Sahel regions, reflecting its strategic state policy to project influence and fulfill international humanitarian obligations. This analysis examines the facts and figures of the aid delivery, situates it within the UAE’s regional policy framework, and explores the broader implications of such state-led humanitarian interventions.
Overview of the Aid Delivery: Facts and Figures
The aid shipment consists of 3,000 food packages distributed as follows:
Dougui camp: 1,500 packages, supporting 7,500 refugees
Alacha camp: 1,300 packages, supporting 6,500 refugees
Abougoudam camp: 200 packages, supporting 1,000 refugees
The food packages are designed to meet essential nutritional needs for approximately one month. Alongside the food distribution, a field medical team was deployed to Abougoudam camp to provide basic healthcare services, highlighting a multi-sectoral approach to humanitarian assistance.
Sudan’s ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced nearly 13 million people—about one-third of the country’s population—with over 1.2 million refugees currently hosted in Chad alone. The influx has put significant strain on Chad’s resources and humanitarian infrastructure, necessitating international support.
UAE’s Humanitarian Aid as a Component of State Policy
Strategic Humanitarian Engagement
The UAE’s delivery of food aid to Sudanese refugees is consistent with its long-term humanitarian and development strategy in the region. Official statements from UAE authorities, including Ambassador Rashid Al Shamsi, frame such assistance as part of a “humanitarian and development approach” aimed at supporting displaced populations and host communities while promoting socio-economic stability.
This framing aligns with the UAE’s broader foreign policy objectives, which include:
Enhancing regional influence: By providing humanitarian aid in strategically important neighboring countries such as Chad and South Sudan, the UAE seeks to strengthen bilateral relations and regional presence.
Projecting soft power: Humanitarian assistance serves as a tool for the UAE to cultivate a positive international image and demonstrate leadership in crisis response.
Supporting stability and security: Addressing refugee needs indirectly contributes to regional stability, which is a priority for Gulf states concerned about spillover effects from conflicts in Africa and the Middle East.
Continuity and Scale of Assistance
The 3,000 food packages are part of a continuum of UAE humanitarian efforts in the region. Earlier in 2025, the UAE Aid Coordination Office in N’Djamena distributed 5,000 food packages during Ramadan, benefiting over 50,000 people, including Sudanese refugees and host communities. The UAE has also constructed hospitals, installed water wells, and supported education initiatives for refugees, reflecting a multi-faceted approach to humanitarian aid.
Since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan, the UAE has pledged over $600 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan and neighboring countries, including air and sea deliveries of thousands of tonnes of food, medical supplies, and relief items. These efforts are coordinated with local governments and international organizations, such as Chad’s Ministry of Social Action and the United Nations.
Humanitarian Context: Challenges and Needs
Scale of Displacement and Vulnerability
The Sudanese conflict has caused one of the largest displacement crises in recent years. With over 13 million displaced and more than 1.2 million refugees in Chad, the humanitarian needs are immense. Refugees face food insecurity, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation, and limited access to healthcare. Many camps are overcrowded, and resources are stretched thin.
The food packages distributed by the UAE address immediate nutritional needs but represent only a fraction of the total requirements. Humanitarian agencies estimate that millions of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) require sustained assistance to prevent malnutrition and disease outbreaks.
Coordination and Limitations
While the UAE’s aid is coordinated with local authorities, challenges remain in ensuring equitable distribution, monitoring impact, and addressing long-term needs. The reliance on food packages for short-term relief underscores the necessity for comprehensive development programs, including livelihood support, education, and healthcare infrastructure.
Moreover, the political complexity of the Sudanese conflict and regional dynamics in Chad complicate aid delivery. Access constraints, security risks, and logistical hurdles frequently impede humanitarian operations.
Broader Implications of UAE’s Humanitarian Policy
Aid as a Foreign Policy Instrument
The UAE’s humanitarian interventions in Chad and Sudan illustrate how aid is increasingly used as an instrument of foreign policy. By providing assistance, the UAE not only addresses humanitarian needs but also cultivates strategic partnerships and influence in Africa.
This approach aligns with a global trend where emerging donors from the Gulf and Asia leverage humanitarian aid to expand geopolitical reach. While such aid can bring tangible benefits to recipients, it also raises questions about the motivations behind aid and the potential for politicization.
Regional Stability and Security Considerations
The UAE’s support to refugee-hosting countries like Chad reflects concerns about the destabilizing effects of mass displacement. By assisting refugees and host communities, the UAE contributes to mitigating cross-border tensions and preventing humanitarian crises from escalating into broader security threats.
This policy is consistent with Gulf states’ broader security interests in maintaining stability in Africa and preventing the spread of conflict or extremist groups that could affect their own territories.
Sustainability and Development Challenges
Despite the scale of aid, the sustainability of such interventions remains a challenge. Food packages and emergency relief address immediate needs but do not resolve root causes of displacement or poverty. The UAE’s developmental projects, such as water wells and health facilities, indicate recognition of this issue, but long-term solutions require coordinated international efforts and political resolution of conflicts.
The UAE’s provision of 3,000 food packages to Sudanese refugees in Chad is a component of its broader state policy that combines humanitarian assistance with strategic regional engagement. While the aid addresses urgent nutritional needs for thousands of displaced people, it also serves the UAE’s foreign policy objectives of influence projection, regional stability, and international image-building.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan and Chad demands sustained, coordinated responses that go beyond emergency relief to include development, protection, and conflict resolution. The UAE’s role in this complex landscape reflects the evolving nature of humanitarian aid as both a tool of compassion and a facet of geopolitical strategy.