Consultations in Jeddah to Consolidate Truce in Sudan, Open Humanitarian Corridors

Smoke rises over a neighborhood in Khartoum as a result of clashes (AFP)
Smoke rises over a neighborhood in Khartoum as a result of clashes (AFP)
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Consultations in Jeddah to Consolidate Truce in Sudan, Open Humanitarian Corridors

Smoke rises over a neighborhood in Khartoum as a result of clashes (AFP)
Smoke rises over a neighborhood in Khartoum as a result of clashes (AFP)

The envoy of the President of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Ambassador Daffallah Al-Hajj, announced that a delegation from the Sudanese army will participate in the scheduled consultations in Jeddah on stabilizing the truce and opening humanitarian corridors, along with representatives of the Rapid Support Forces.

 

However, Hajj stressed that the consultations would not include any talks on a political solution.

 

The Rapid Support Forces did not confirm their participation in the consultations, while sources said that they had identified three representatives to participate in the talks.

 

Meanwhile, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), said on Friday that Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry expressed, during a telephone call, Cairo’s willingness to provide assistance to his country.

 

Hemedti tweeted that Shoukry called him by phone and discussed with him “issues related to the current crisis ... and local, regional and international initiatives aimed at finding a comprehensive solution.”

 

Meanwhile, a document showed on Friday that a group of countries was preparing to request an urgent meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Sudanese crisis next week, in a move that human rights activists hope will increase scrutiny of the warring parties’ abuses.

 

The letter, dated May 5, showed that Britain, the United States, Germany and Norway are expected to ask the council president to hold a meeting to discuss the outbreak of violence in Sudan since April 15.

Diplomats told Reuters they had the support of at least a third of the council’s 47 members, according to council rules.

 

The clashes continued in Sudan on Friday despite the truce that the two conflicting military sides pledged to abide by, and the US threats to impose sanctions.

 

Since April 15, fighting between the army led by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF has resulted in about 700 deaths and thousands of injuries.

 

Among the dead were children in “terrifyingly large numbers,” according to the United Nations, in a country where 49 percent of the population is under the age of 18.



Saudi Arabia Expands Digital Health System for Hajj Pilgrims

Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Expands Digital Health System for Hajj Pilgrims

Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry said it has stepped up efforts this year to expand digital health services as part of a broader strategy to harness advanced technology and ensure safe and efficient medical care for pilgrims during the Hajj.

The ministry said preparations included strengthening digital infrastructure and deploying smart solutions to improve timely access to healthcare, aiming to deliver a safe and healthy pilgrimage for all.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Assistant Deputy Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Health, Eng. Yazeed Alotaibi highlighted a range of advanced digital solutions the ministry has developed, including the implementation of the “Electronic Health Record” system across all medical facilities in the holy sites.

The system allows for seamless, real-time connectivity between healthcare centers, speeding up diagnosis and patient transfers while enhancing medical response readiness in coordination with the command and control center.

Alotaibi added that services on the “Sehhaty” app have been upgraded to offer around-the-clock virtual medical consultations, alongside the 937 unified call center.

He said virtual clinics have also been activated in partnership with the virtual health hospital, enabling patients to receive specialized care remotely without the need to travel, easing pressure on field facilities and improving pilgrims’ access to medical services at any time.

AI integration

On the use of emerging technologies, Alotaibi said the Health Ministry has “extensively integrated artificial intelligence tools into its digital systems.”

These tools are being used to analyze medical conversations and convert them into digital records, while also suggesting accurate diagnoses, boosting the speed and quality of clinical decision-making.

AI is also employed to interpret medical images and identify critical cases that require urgent intervention.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry has rolled out a series of cutting-edge technologies to strengthen medical services for pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, including the use of drones, artificial intelligence, and cloud infrastructure.

Alotaibi said the ministry is deploying drone technology to deliver medicines and medical supplies swiftly to high-traffic areas, calling it “a fast and efficient solution” to meet urgent healthcare demands.

Cloud infrastructure has also been activated in health data centers to boost system efficiency and accelerate data sharing among relevant authorities, he added.

Digital health passport

Among other innovations, Alotaibi said the ministry has launched a “Digital Health Passport” in collaboration with Malaysia, Oman, and Indonesia. The initiative allows early access to pilgrims’ health status, allowing personalized care and streamlining medical procedures when needed.

On Monday, Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel inaugurated two key initiatives to support medical supply delivery using helicopters and drones.

These systems are designed to cut delivery times for medicines in high-density zones across the holy sites from 90 to just 6 minutes, enhancing emergency response capabilities.

Fahad Al-Buthi, CEO of supply chain and operations at NUPCO, a Saudi healthcare logistics company, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the drone program was launched in coordination with national authorities.

He said pilot tests showed the drone system could slash delivery time from 90 minutes to just six, a move expected to significantly improve access to critical supplies during peak Hajj periods.