Human Rights Watch and FairSquare on Friday called upon candidates in the upcoming Manchester mayoral elections to publicly commit to engaging with the Emirati government on its egregious human rights record if elected. In a joint letter to the candidates the organisatiosn noted that “Manchester City Council’s ties to Emirati officials have given the UAE’s government valuable reputational cover while it backs forces committing atrocities in Sudan,” said Joey Shea, senior Saudi Arabia and UAE researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Mayoral candidates should not stay silent about the UAE’s record despite the money flowing through Manchester.”
The letter pointed out that Manchester City Council has a close financial relationship with senior figures in the Emirati government, in particular through its stake in the Manchester Life Development Company (MLDC), a joint venture ultimately controlled by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice president and deputy prime minister of the UAE. The joint venture has offered the Emirati government valuable reputational benefits in the city of Manchester.
In a May 2026 report, HRW confirmed there was mounting evidence that the UAE has provided military support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, which is engaged in a conflict with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) for control of the country. The RSF is responsible for widespread war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other atrocities, including as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Darfur region.
Human Rights Watch found that Colombian private military contractors passed through Emirati military bases before being deployed to Sudan to support the RSF. This is further evidence indicating that the UAE is assisting or otherwise substantially contributing to the RSF’s capacity to commit war crimes.
In February 2026, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office added three Colombian nationals to the UK Sanctions List for their involvement in enlisting mercenaries from Colombia “to fight alongside the RSF in areas of Sudan, including El Fasher.”
Colombian fighters were located at the site of abuses by the RSF during their takeover in October 2025 of North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher, a city they had besieged for 18 months. Foreign fighters, most likely Colombian military contractors, stood by while RSF fighters massacred men and women, including people with disabilities, and abducted many for ransom.
Human Rights Watch has previously sought to engage with civic leaders in Manchester on issues relating to the UAE’s human rights record. In 2016, HRW requested that a then-senior figure in Manchester City Council, Sir Richard Leese, co-sign a letter calling on the UAE to release political prisoners and investigate torture allegations. Leese declined, stating that the Emirati government were “exemplary business partners” and the “alleged” abuses detailed in the letter were beyond the council’s sphere of influence.
The Joint HRW, FairSquare letter stressed: “The Manchester mayoral candidates should pledge that, if elected, they would press the UAE to end its support for the RSF. They should also promise to conduct human rights due diligence on UAE-linked investment in the city and region, by raising concerns directly with Emirati representatives and meeting Emirati human rights defenders, and speak out on the UAE’s domestic record.”
