A Christian persecution watchdog has objected to the United Arab Emirates’ inclusion in President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, citing the Gulf nation’s alleged military role in Sudan’s ongoing civil war. The group has warned that the board’s formation risks weakening international law and accountability frameworks.
The United Kingdom-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement that the UAE’s representative, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, should not be part of a body intended for international peacebuilding because of his country’s alleged support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia accused of war crimes in Sudan.
The RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces have been fighting since April 2023, with both sides accused of committing severe human rights abuses. The conflict has caused at least 150,000 deaths, displaced over 13 million people, and left 30 million in need of aid, according to international estimates.
Al Mubarak, who chairs Manchester City Football Club and several other football franchises, serves on multiple high-level UAE government bodies, including the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and the Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs. His role on the board comes amid public campaigns in the United Kingdom targeting UAE-linked club ownership.
CSW launched a petition earlier this month urging the English Premier League to investigate the involvement of Manchester City’s ownership in alleged international abuses. The petition, which focuses on UAE vice-president Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received more than 1,000 signatures in its first week.
CSW’s Director of Advocacy Khataza Gondwe said the UAE’s seat on the board contradicted its role in Sudan’s conflict and raised further questions about the board’s legitimacy.
“It is rather duplicitous of the UAE to be investing in international peacebuilding whilst it continues to fuel the conflict in Sudan, not to mention the deeply worrying impact the Board of Peace is likely to have on the international system and human rights framework,” Gondwe said. “This further exposes the clear connections between Manchester City’s governance — and that of several other football clubs — and serious human rights concerns, underlining the need for the Premier League to hold club owners who are implicated in human rights violations to account.”
The Trump administration has described the Board of Peace as a transitional administration for post-war Gaza, with the mandate to direct governance, reconstruction and investment in the territory. The body was authorized under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025 and formally launched earlier this month.
The board’s charter states that it will “promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.” President Trump is listed as the chairman and appointing authority.
The UAE became one of the first countries to accept Trump’s invitation to join the board, which includes leaders from Russia, Belarus and Hungary, according to Politico.
The board’s executive committee features Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. According to a White House statement, the board’s charter includes overseeing Gaza’s stabilization, infrastructure development and regional coordination.
In a recent statement, the UAE foreign ministry said its participation was aligned with Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, originally unveiled in September 2025. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the plan was essential to fulfilling Palestinian rights and praised Trump’s efforts under the Abraham Accords.
French President Emmanuel Macron declined Trump’s invitation to join the board, expressing concern that it might override U.N. processes. Trump responded by threatening tariffs on French wine and predicting Macron’s political downfall.
Trump’s May 2025 visit to the UAE was his first multi-day overseas trip during his second term and helped advance the board’s diplomatic efforts.
The board has drawn criticism for including governments widely accused of human rights violations, with critics arguing that its structure bypasses international checks on war crimes and political repression.
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan has called the RSF’s activities in Sudan a “calculated campaign of the most profound suffering,” referencing mass graves, sexual violence and executions targeting non-Arab communities.
