A UK analyst has revealed that warnings about possible genocide in Sudan were removed from a Foreign Office risk report in April 2023. The analyst said Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials stopped them from using the word "genocide" when assessing dangers in Darfur just days after the civil war began. The whistleblower suspects the move was to protect the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a UK ally accused of arming Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are blamed for genocidal violence. "The word genocide was removed from our report. Anyone who has studied Sudan – its patterns of behaviour – knew genocide was a risk," the analyst said. The move amounted to "censoring," which is troubling since the UK leads the UN Security Council's efforts on Sudan. A former FCDO official also suggested the UK downplayed genocide risks to avoid upsetting the UAE. They compared this to UK relations with Rwanda despite its controversial role in the Congo conflict. The FCDO denied politics influenced genocide assessments, stating that formal genocide rulings come from courts, and no such judgment exists for Sudan yet. Soon after the censored report, RSF committed what the UN calls genocidal acts in El Geneina, Darfur, killing around 15,000 people from ethnic African groups. Similar atrocities occurred in El Fasher, with reports of mass graves and widespread killings. The analyst said they had to phrase warnings about Darfur’s dangers more mildly, against their judgment. Attempts to raise Sudan as an urgent issue in early 2023 were ignored. Experts and human rights groups have long warned about atrocity risks in Sudan. Kate Ferguson, a foreign policy expert, said: "Halting genocide is not easy but it is possible. That’s why it is essential our foreign secretary and prime minister have full confidence in the analysis of atrocity violence they receive." The UK has not officially declared genocide in Sudan, unlike the US. Critics say this hesitation and censorship have fostered impunity and worsened the crisis. Abdallah Abu Garda from the Darfur Diaspora Association said the UK must act decisively to prevent genocidal campaigns instead of downplaying them for political or economic reasons. The FCDO said it supports investigations and accountability efforts and funds projects to document attacks on civilians. Yet, the removed genocide warnings and political pressures raise serious concerns about the UK’s role in addressing Sudan’s deadly conflict.