Saudi Arabia held an emergency meeting in Jeddah on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and discussed the developments in Sudan.
The meeting, attended by permanent delegates, issued 16 recommendations stressing the need to maintain Sudan's security and stability, respect its unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
The closing statement expressed deep regret at the outbreak of armed clashes in Sudan, calling for a commitment to the humanitarian truce agreed upon to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Interlocutors also called for an immediate cessation of military escalation and prioritizing the national interest to preserve the capabilities and gains of the Sudanese people, requesting that all parties allow dialogue to prevail and embrace self-restraint and wisdom.
The OIC urged all parties to return to the negotiation table as soon as possible to resolve the Sudanese crisis in order to preserve the unity of Sudan and its state institutions and meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people for political and economic stability.
The statement lauded the efforts of Saudi Arabia, in its capacity as chair of the Islamic Summit, and its good offices and engagements with Sudanese brothers and regional parties to reach an immediate and lasting ceasefire and return to the path of peace to preserve Sudan's unity.
It also hailed the Saudi evacuation of international citizens and diplomatic missions from Sudan, providing for all their needs.
It commended the endeavors of Türkiye at the highest level to induce the respective parties in Sudan to exercise restraint, declare an immediate ceasefire, and return to dialogue.
Continued violence in Sudan will have negative implications for security and regional peace, which is part and parcel of international security, read the statement, stressing that the conflict is an internal matter.
It warned against external interference, whatever its nature or source, stressing the need to return to political dialogue.
The Sudanese government called the international community to "not interfere" in the military conflict.
At the meeting, Sudan's representative, Ambassador Ilham Ibrahim, asserted that the matter is an internal affair and should be left to the Sudanese to achieve the required settlement.
Ibrahim lauded the efforts of the brotherly and friendly Arab and African countries and the regional and international community to help calm the situation in the country.
She explained that the Sudanese National Armed Forces, as an official state institution, should not be equated with the rebel Rapid Support Forces seizing power through illegal means.
In turn, the OIC Secretary-General, Hissein Brahim Taha, confirmed that the organization would act on the recommendations of member states and use all possibilities to contribute to efforts to stop the fighting, advance the peaceful path, and provide the necessary humanitarian assistance, including the option of sending a high-level delegation to Sudan at the appropriate time.
Taha praised the Saudi initiative for an emergency meeting. He said it comes as part of the Kingdom's efforts with the concerned parties in Sudan and regional and international actors aiming to reach peaceful solutions to this crisis, based on the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
For his part, Saudi Permanent Representative to the OIC, Saleh al-Suhaibani, said that through this meeting, Saudi Arabia renewed its calls for Sudanese parties to de-escalate the situation and prioritize the language of dialogue and national reconciliation.
The Kingdom reiterated its call for halting all forms of escalation to preserve the resources of the Sudanese people and their gains and to unify the ranks in a way that helps resume the previously achieved consensus.
"Such consensus includes the framework agreement that aims to achieve political and security stability and ensure economic recovery and prosperity of Sudan and its brotherly people," Suhaibani affirmed.
Suhaibani welcomed the implementation of the truce, the extension of the ceasefire, and the provision of safe humanitarian corridors.
He pointed out that the Kingdom continues, with great interest, to play a significant diplomatic and humanitarian role in this crisis.
It is reflected in various humanitarian and diplomatic initiatives for sea and air evacuations of nationals of Arab, Islamic, and friendly countries and staff of many diplomatic missions, officials, and workers in international and regional organizations.
Saudi Arabia has so far evacuated close to 6,000 individuals of 100 different nationalities worldwide.
He stated that "what is happening in brotherly Sudan, and what happened previously in some Islamic countries that are members of this ancient organization, OIC, requires us to think carefully and strive seriously towards developing practical mechanisms for mediation during conflicts."
Suhaibani pointed out that such crises require activating preventive diplomacy aimed at avoiding the emergence of conflicts and anticipating resolving them through diplomatic means to prevent disputes from escalating into conflicts and defusing them within the framework of the comprehensive reform of the OIC.
He noted that this would allow the organization to confront these challenges efficiently and effectively.
