Jeddah Talks: Sudan Army, RSF Agree to Protect Civilians

Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS
Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS
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Jeddah Talks: Sudan Army, RSF Agree to Protect Civilians

Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS
Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS

Representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces signed in Jeddah a declaration commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, Saudi Arabia and the US announced in a statement on Friday.

The declaration of commitment recognizes the obligations of both sides, under international humanitarian and human rights law to facilitate humanitarian action to meet the emergency needs of civilians, it said.
The declaration of commitment will guide the conduct of the two forces to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance, the restoration of essential services, the withdrawal of forces from hospitals and clinics, and the respectful burial of the dead.

Following the signing, the Jeddah Talks will focus on reaching agreement on an effective ceasefire of up to approximately ten days to facilitate these activities. The security measures will include a US-Saudi and international-supported ceasefire monitoring mechanism.
In line with the step-by-step approach agreed by the parties, the Jeddah Talks will address proposed arrangement for subsequent talks - with Sudanese civilians and regional and international partners - on a permanent cessation of hostilities.

In consultation with the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, the facilitators said they looked forward to discussions with Sudanese civilians and regional and international partners about participation in subsequent rounds of talks.



Saudi Arabia Underscores its Continued Efforts to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Underscores its Continued Efforts to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government underscored on Tuesday its ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan and restore security and stability in the country.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah.

The government welcomed the outcomes of the second consultative meeting on boosting coordination on initiatives and peace efforts in Sudan.

The cabinet added that Saudi Arabia will continue to stand by Yemen and its people and encourage de-escalation efforts and preserve calm, hoping that this would pave the way for a comprehensive political solution under the UN-sponsored roadmap.

The ministers reviewed the contacts Saudi Arabia held over the past week with world countries with the aim of developing relations and cooperation in various fields.

The cabinet reviewed several periodic performance reports on the programs of the Saudi Vision 2030, whose many goals have already been realized.

It commended the swift advancement of housing and health sector transformation programs, notably in increasing homeownership rates among Saudi families, delivering thousands of housing units to developmental housing beneficiaries, and improving healthcare accessibility, quality, and life expectancy through efforts dedicated to public health and community vitality.

The cabinet discussed the Kingdom's high rankings in labor-market indicators issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF), highlighting the record-breaking increase in Saudis employed in the private sector. The number of Saudi workers in the private sector rose from 1.7 million in 2019 to over 2.3 million in 2024, while the unemployment rate decreased to 6.7% in the first quarter of 2024.

Moreover, the cabinet discussed the submission to FIFA of Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 World Cup, reiterating the Kingdom's commitment to delivering an exceptional edition of the tournament.

It also praised UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee to add the "Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area" in the Riyadh region to the World Heritage List. This is the eighth site in Saudi Arabia to be listed, achieving one of the goals of the Vision 2030.

It reviewed the outcomes of the Kingdom’s participation in the meetings held under the Group of Twenty (G20) framework, which highlighted its efforts and initiatives supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), continued economic progress, and the enhancement of global responses to humanitarian issues.

Reviewing the outcomes of the second Baghdad International Regional Conference on Combating Drugs, the Cabinet underlined the Kingdom's commitment to reinforcing international cooperation in this area and highlighted the success of the security campaign in confronting the threat of drugs and related crimes.