LONDON: Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereij has said that the crisis in Sudan not only affects the Sudanese people but also poses a threat to regional stability.
“Our collective responsibility compels us to intensify efforts to support dialogue, enforce a ceasefire, provide urgent humanitarian assistance, preserve state institutions from collapse, and maintain the unity, territorial integrity, and resources of Sudan,” he said while delivering a speech at the London Conference on Sudan.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the vice foreign minister highlighted the Kingdom’s diplomatic efforts since the outbreak of the crisis.
“Since the onset of the crisis, the Kingdom has led diplomatic initiatives to resolve the Sudanese crisis, including hosting the Jeddah Talks (1) and (2), which resulted in both parties to the conflict signing the Jeddah Declaration on the ‘Commitment to Protect Civilians in Sudan’ and the Short-Term Ceasefire and Humanitarian Arrangements Agreement,” he said.
He added: “Halting external support to the conflicting parties is essential to create a genuine environment for a ceasefire and pave the way for a comprehensive political solution. Neutralising foreign interference facilitates humanitarian operations, especially the opening of safe corridors to ensure aid reaches those in need across Sudan without delay. We have seen the positive impact of opening the Adre border crossing.”
Elkhereiji added that any steps or measures taken outside the framework of Sudan’s official state institutions would undermine the country’s unity, breach legitimacy, and override the will of its people.
“The Kingdom cautions against calls to form a parallel government or any alternative entity, as these are illegitimate attempts that threaten the political process, deepen divisions, and obstruct efforts toward a comprehensive national solution,” he warned.
He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s firm position that the resolution to the crisis must be a Sudanese-Sudanese political solution that respects Sudan’s sovereignty and unity and supports its state institutions.
Over the past three months, more than 140 children have been killed or maimed in Al Fasher city alone, underscoring the relentless toll of the ongoing war on children in Sudan,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement.
Last month, the Sudanese army retook complete control of Khartoum city from Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters after two years of losing the capital to the rebel paramilitary group.
According to the International Rescue Committee, the war has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 12 million, and created the “biggest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.
