DUBAI: The UAE and Egypt have signed a memorandum of understanding to boost collaboration in peaceful space activities, marking what Emirati officials described as a “significant milestone” in Arab space cooperation, state news agency WAM reported on Wednesday.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 11th meeting of the Arab Space Cooperation Group and the “NewSpace Africa” conference in Cairo, with the UAE delegation led by Salem Butti Al-Qubaisi, director-general of the UAE Space Agency.

“The MoU represents a significant milestone in Arab space cooperation and reflects the UAE’s strategic vision, which sees space as a gateway to sustainable development, knowledge exchange and innovative solutions to shared challenges,” Al-Qubaisi said.

He highlighted that partnering with Egypt reinforced the UAE’s commitment to investing in people, localizing scientific expertise and developing a competitive, innovation-driven knowledge economy. He said that these goals aligned with broader regional ambitions for prosperity and stability.

The MoU establishes a long-term framework for cooperation in civil space programs, including the exchange of expertise, research and technology, and the implementation of joint projects supporting both countries’ sustainable development goals.

Planned areas of collaboration include communications technologies, satellite navigation and timing, Earth observation, remote sensing, space situational awareness, remote asset management and R&D in emerging and advanced technologies.

The UAE delegation also attended the opening ceremony of the African Space Agency’s new headquarters at Egyptian Space City, an event that drew senior officials, ministers and space-sector leaders from across Africa.

ABU DHABI: UAE security services have foiled an attempt to illegally transfer weapons and military equipment to the Sudanese Armed Forces, the UAE's Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said on Wednesday.

Al Shamsi stated that the security services succeeded in preventing the transfer of a quantity of military equipment to the Sudanese Armed Forces following the arrest of members of a cell involved in unauthorised mediation, brokering and illicit trafficking of military equipment, without obtaining the necessary licences from relevant authorities.

The defendants were arrested during an inspection of ammunition in a private aircraft at one of the country’s airports.

The plane was carrying approximately five million rounds of (54.7 x 62mm) Goryunov-type ammunition.

Authorities also seized part of the financial proceeds from the deal in the possession of two suspects in their hotel rooms.

Al Shamsi said the investigation revealed the involvement of cell members from the Sudanese military leaders, including former intelligence Chief Salah Gosh, a former officer of the intelligence agency, a former advisor to the finance minister, and a political figure close to General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his deputy Yasser Al-Atta. Several Sudanese businessmen were also implicated.

According to investigators, the cell members completed a military equipment deal involving Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition, machine guns, and grenades worth millions of dollars.

The arms were transferred from the Sudanese army to an importing company in the UAE using the HAWALADARS’ transfer method.

The transaction was facilitated through a company owned by a fugitive cell member working for the Sudanese Armed Forces, in coordination with Colonel Othman Al-Zubair, who is in charge of financial operations in the Sudanese military.

Fake contracts and commercial invoices were used to falsely claim the payments were for a sugar import deal.

The investigation concluded that these deals were carried out at the request of the Sudanese Armed Forces’ Armament Committee, chaired by Al-Burhan and his deputy Al-Atta, with their full knowledge and approval. The cell members were directly assigned to broker and finalise the transactions by Ahmed Rabie Ahmed Al-Sayed, a political figure close to the Sudanese Commander-in-Chief and responsible for issuing end-user certificates and approvals.

Investigators confirmed that Salah Gosh played a central role in managing illegal military equipment trafficking within the UAE, in coordination with other cell members.

The group earned $2.6m in profit margin above the actual value of the two deals, which was distributed among themselves and several accomplices. Gosh’s share was found in the possession of suspect Khalid Youssef Mukhtar Youssef, a former intelligence officer and Gosh’s ex-chief of staff.

The seized shipment had arrived at a UAE airport aboard a private aircraft from a foreign country.

The aircraft had landed to refuel and officially declared it was carrying a consignment of medical supplies.

However, the military cargo was discovered under the supervision of the Public Prosecution, based on judicial warrants issued by the Attorney General.

Authorities also seized copies of the contracts related to the two deals, forged shipping documents, as well as audio recordings and messages exchanged among the cell members.

The investigation uncovered several companies owned by a Sudanese-Ukrainian businessman, including one operating in the UAE.

These companies were found to have provided the Sudanese army with weapons, ammunition, grenades, and drones, in collaboration with the cell members and the military’s financial officer.

One of the companies is listed under US sanctions.

The ongoing investigations revealed that the group’s financial interests and profits are closely tied to the continuation of internal conflict in Sudan.

The Attorney-General stressed that this incident represents a grave breach of the UAE’s national security, turning its territory into a platform for illegal arms trafficking to a country experiencing civil strife, in addition to constituting criminal offenses punishable under law.

He concluded by stating that the Public Prosecution is continuing its investigation procedures in preparation for referring the suspects to urgent trial proceedings.

Final results will be announced upon the completion of the investigation.