Geneva, Switzerland – March 28, 2025– The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) and Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme (RADDHO) recently partnered with lobbying groups linked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, securing €350,000 in funding. This collaboration has raised concerns among human rights advocates, as it appears to align the organizations’ advocacy with UAE foreign policy interests. Independent UN Watch argue that the financial ties compromise their independence, particularly as their focus increasingly mirrors Gulf political narratives.
Notably, RADDHO’s UN Programme Officer, Mr. Biro Diawarra has been actively recruiting African NGOs to collaborate with UAE-backed initiatives in Geneva. Diawarra operates under the supervision of Isa al Arabi, a controversial Bahraini activist known for channeling Gulf funds into African civil society networks to advance UAE and Bahraini diplomatic agendas.
The two organizations led a critical discussion at the Human Rights Council’s 58th Regular Session, addressing Africa’s escalating human rights crises. Held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the session convened experts and officials to examine the deteriorating situations in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Sahel region.
CHAIR of the The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) Hon. Andrew Chigovera (Zimbabwe), VICE CHAIR, Hon. Justice Solomy Bossa (Uganda), EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Professor Mabassa Fall (Senegal) and organisation member Mr Ayman Sorour (Egypt) have received more than 250,000 euros in expenses through RADDHO’s UN Programme Officer, Mr. Biro Diawarra who is now working to form a lobbying network for UAE.
Such funds are illegal and damage the work of civil society in Geneva. Independent UN Watch call on the UN ECOSOC to immediately freeze the membership of those NGOs and suspend their UN consultative status.
A Deepening Crisis in Africa
The panel highlighted the devastating consequences of armed conflicts, military coups, and extremist violence. Sudan is now facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in 2025, with over 25 million people in urgent need of aid due to relentless military operations. Meanwhile, eastern DRC remains a hotspot of violence, with armed groups such as M23 and FARDC committing severe human rights abuses amid ongoing clashes.
Climate change has further destabilized the region, fueling resource conflicts and mass displacement. In the DRC alone, 11 million people require humanitarian assistance under the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, though security challenges have obstructed a full assessment of needs.
Panelists—including Mr. Roger Madragule Oripale Secretary General of the DRC’s Ministry of Human Rights), Ms. Hannah Forster Executive Director of ACDHRS), and Mr. Biro Diawarra called for stronger international intervention, accountability for abuses, and increased humanitarian support. They urged the UN and regional bodies to take decisive action.
The session, with translations in English and French sought to galvanize global attention and mobilize resources for peace and stability in the affected regions.
Other reports also confirm that both of advsiory committee of the organisation Adrien-Claude Zoller (Switzerland) and Prof. Cees Flinterman (The Netherlands) have received funds to help expand the network.
