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Saudi Arabia Hopes Parties to Sudan Conflict will Adhere to Jeddah Declaration

Representatives of the two parties to the Sudanese conflict during the signing of the Jeddah Agreement in May 2023 (Reuters)
Representatives of the two parties to the Sudanese conflict during the signing of the Jeddah Agreement in May 2023 (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Hopes Parties to Sudan Conflict will Adhere to Jeddah Declaration

Representatives of the two parties to the Sudanese conflict during the signing of the Jeddah Agreement in May 2023 (Reuters)
Representatives of the two parties to the Sudanese conflict during the signing of the Jeddah Agreement in May 2023 (Reuters)

The two parties to the conflict in Sudan have resumed their negotiations in the Saudi city of Jeddah, with the aim of ending the war that has been ongoing for more than six months, and which has claimed the lives of thousands and caused the displacement of millions of citizens.

Since April 15, the conflict between the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his former deputy, commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has led to the death of more than 9,000 people, according to the United Nations figures, and the displacement of more than 5.6 million people inside the country or in neighboring states.

In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Riyadh welcomes the resumption of talks between representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Jeddah, facilitated by Saudi Arabia and the United States. On Wednesday, both parties to the conflict confirmed their acceptance of an invitation to restart negotiations, but the army stressed that this move “does not mean stopping the battle for national dignity.”

The RSF expressed hope that the delegation representing the other side “has come to Jeddah united and independent from the dictates of the National Congress Party (the ruling party during the era of former President Omar al-Bashir).”

So far, all mediation attempts, including US-Saudi endeavor, have not succeeded in achieving any progress on the path to stopping the war, but only led to short ceasefire periods.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the Kingdom urges the negotiators to abide by the Jeddah Declaration, which was announced on May 11 to protect civilians, as well as a short-term ceasefire agreement signed on May 20.

“The Kingdom affirms its keenness on unity of ranks ... to stop the bloodshed and alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people,” the statement added.

Representatives of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa, which is led by Kenya, are also participating in the Jeddah negotiations.

Kholood Khair, founder of the Confluence Advisory Research Center in Khartoum, believes that the two sides of the conflict were not yet satisfied with the war. On Thursday, she wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the decision to revive the talks was based on the assumption that the army and the Rapid Support Forces had had enough of fighting due to the imminent collapse of the state, suffering and misery.

She added that the two sides were not yet satisfied, as neither of them cared about the human costs of waging this war.

As the talks resumed on Thursday, eyewitnesses reported fighting in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state. The RSF announced that its fighters had “completely” taken control of the army positions in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, and the second largest city in Sudan in terms of population, which may constitute a turning point in the war.

The army was able to protect its main bases in Khartoum, despite the deployment of the RSF in most parts of the capital. At the same time, the government moved most of its headquarters to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea coast.

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Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince, Canada’s PM Discuss Ties and Regional Developments

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince, Canada’s PM Discuss Ties and Regional Developments

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received a phone call on Wednesday from Canadian PM Mark Carney.

During the call, the two sides discussed relations between the Kingdom and Canada, as well as areas of existing cooperation between the two countries.

They also reviewed ways to enhance and develop cooperation across various fields.

They further discussed the latest regional developments and their security and economic repercussions in the region and the world.

Gulf

Swiss President: We Stand with Saudi Arabia, US-Iran Negotiations Key to Stability

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Swiss President Guy Parmelin during a bilateral meeting in Jeddah on April 23. SPA
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Swiss President Guy Parmelin during a bilateral meeting in Jeddah on April 23. SPA
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Swiss President: We Stand with Saudi Arabia, US-Iran Negotiations Key to Stability

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Swiss President Guy Parmelin during a bilateral meeting in Jeddah on April 23. SPA
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Swiss President Guy Parmelin during a bilateral meeting in Jeddah on April 23. SPA

Swiss President Guy Parmelin reaffirmed his country’s support for Saudi Arabia in what he described as difficult circumstances, and stressed the need to press ahead with efforts to reach a diplomatic solution between Washington and Tehran through negotiations, to safeguard regional peace and stability.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Parmelin said the region’s security situation topped the agenda. He expressed Switzerland’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia, praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s wisdom and restraint, and conveyed Swiss support.

He said both sides agreed on the need to back all efforts to secure a negotiated diplomatic solution in the interest of regional stability.

"The visit to Saudi Arabia on 22 and 23 April marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries and aimed at further strengthening our bilateral ties at both the political and economic levels. In Jeddah, I was accompanied by HE State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda and a high-level business delegation representing key Swiss industries."

Deepening strategic cooperation

Parmelin said talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as Saudi Prime Minister, focused on strengthening economic ties amid global uncertainty.

He said both sides explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in strategic sectors, including logistics, commodities, financial services, and insurance, where both countries have strong expertise.

"A key element of the visit was the economic roundtable I co-chaired with HE Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif, Minister of Investment, which brought together leading representatives from government and business on both sides. It was a valuable opportunity to identify concrete areas for enhanced cooperation and strengthen links between Swiss and Saudi companies," he added.

Parmelin said the signing of a new bilateral investment protection agreement with the Saudi investment minister was a main outcome of the visit.

" I was particularly honoured by the presence of HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the signing ceremony, which underlined its importance. The agreement enhances legal certainty for investors and strengthens the conditions for bilateral economic engagement."

Saudi-Swiss relations

Parmelin said relations between Switzerland and Saudi Arabia are close, longstanding, and span more than 70 years, describing them as strong and steadily evolving.

He said the partnership is built on mutual respect, regular dialogue, and growing economic ties, underpinned by a shared interest in stability, open markets, and rules-based international cooperation.

"Economic cooperation is at the core of our bilateral relations. Switzerland is a significant trading partner for Saudi Arabia, and about 200 Swiss companies are actively engaged in the Kingdom across pharmaceuticals, machinery, engineering, technology, commodities, logistics, financial services and insurance."

Parmelin affirmed that Switzerland sees significant opportunities tied to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program, saying: "We also see growing opportunities linked to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation agenda. Swiss expertise in hospitality, research and innovation, sustainable infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and vocational education and training has much to contribute here. On the institutional side, we advance our shared agenda through a yearly Joint Economic Commission, a Bilateral Financial Dialogue, and Political Consultations."

At the institutional level, he said both countries are advancing their shared agenda through a yearly Joint Economic Commission, a Bilateral Financial Dialogue, and Political Consultations. 

"Beyond economic ties, we maintain constructive political exchanges and cooperate in multilateral settings. Saudi-Swiss relations are broad-based and forward-looking, with real scope to deepen collaboration in both established and emerging sectors."

 

Gulf

Iraqi Ambassador in Riyadh: Land Transport of Pilgrims Dictated by Regional Conditions

Iraqi Ambassador in Riyadh Safia Taleb Al-Suhail (photograph: Turki Al-Oqaili)
Iraqi Ambassador in Riyadh Safia Taleb Al-Suhail (photograph: Turki Al-Oqaili)
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Iraqi Ambassador in Riyadh: Land Transport of Pilgrims Dictated by Regional Conditions

Iraqi Ambassador in Riyadh Safia Taleb Al-Suhail (photograph: Turki Al-Oqaili)
Iraqi Ambassador in Riyadh Safia Taleb Al-Suhail (photograph: Turki Al-Oqaili)

Iraq’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Safia Taleb Al-Suhail said the number of Iraqi pilgrims this year has reached around 41,000, with their convoys beginning to arrive in Saudi Arabia at a rate of about 1,500 pilgrims per day through the Jadidat Arar border crossing in the north of the Kingdom, within an integrated system of services.

Al-Suhail confirmed, in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, that coordination between Baghdad and Riyadh is taking place at the highest levels, through the ministries of Hajj and Umrah and interior in both countries, to discuss security arrangements and ensure the transport of pilgrims until they perform their rituals with ease and reassurance.

The ambassador explained that Iraq’s adoption of exclusively land transport this year came out of concern for pilgrims’ safety in light of current regional conditions, and to avoid any emergency that could hinder their completion of the pilgrimage, praising the Jadidat Arar crossing and the facilities and advanced infrastructure it provides.

41,000 pilgrims

Safia Al-Suhail said Iraq’s quota for this season amounts to 41,000 pilgrims, according to available information, in addition to 200 doctors, as announced by the official authorities in the Iraqi Hajj and Umrah Commission.

She noted that this quota includes pilgrims from all Iraqi provinces and the Kurdistan Region, along with accompanying administrative, medical, guidance, and media staff.

Adoption of land transport

The ambassador said Baghdad adopted this season the option of transporting pilgrims exclusively by land through the Jadidat Arar crossing in northern Saudi Arabia, a decision taken out of concern for pilgrims’ safety and in line with the current realities in the region.

She added: “The first convoys of Iraqi pilgrims departed on the evening of Sunday, April 26, and their first groups were received under the supervision of Prince Faisal bin Khalid, Governor of the Northern Borders Region, who gives this matter continuous attention that we highly appreciate, as he, along with officials in Arar, ensured that the reception of Iraqi pilgrims was at the highest level of hospitality, facilitation, and services.”

Jadidat Arar crossing

Al-Suhail praised the Jadidat Arar crossing, noting that it “features advanced infrastructure that we personally reviewed along with embassy staff, including a Hajj hall exceeding 9,000 square meters, with a capacity of up to 20,000 pilgrims per day, 68 passport counters, six inspection points, in addition to an integrated medical and security system operating around the clock.”

She noted that “transport is proceeding at a rate of about 1,500 pilgrims per day, via convoys of modern, air-conditioned buses, and rest stations along the route inside Saudi territory, within a fully equipped tent city prepared by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah according to the highest standards, providing accommodation, meals, healthcare, and places for prayer.”

Coordination with the Saudi side

Al-Suhail stressed that relations between Iraq and Saudi Arabia are long-standing and well established, bringing together ties of religion, neighborliness, kinship, and shared interests, with the leaders of both countries keen to maintain and develop them across various fields, noting that the Hajj file holds a special place in this relationship as a matter with religious and humanitarian dimensions that rises above any other consideration.

She pointed out that Iraq was the first among more than 150 countries to sign the Hajj arrangements agreement for the 1447 AH season with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, a step reflecting the depth of coordination and the keenness of both brotherly countries to remove obstacles for pilgrims, according to the ambassador.

She added: “Coordination this season has taken place at the highest levels between Iraq’s Supreme Hajj and Umrah Commission and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and in parallel between the interior ministries of both countries, as the Iraqi interior minister held extensive meetings to discuss security preparations and ensure the transport of pilgrims, attended by the head of the Supreme Hajj and Umrah Commission, the head of the Border Ports Authority, operations commanders, and provincial police leaders, in cooperation with their counterparts on the Saudi side.”

According to the ambassador, “coordination included securing the land routes inside Iraq up to the Arar crossing, after which the Saudi side assumes responsibility from the crossing to the holy sites, within an integrated framework that reflects what can be described as ‘fraternal security coordination between the two neighboring countries.’”

Preparing a tent city to accommodate pilgrims

Regarding facilities, she commended the efforts made by the Kingdom under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Crown Prince in serving pilgrims, noting that services include streamlined customs and passport procedures, round-the-clock health and emergency services, full logistical support, transport and guidance services, in addition to a tent city designated to accommodate pilgrims, affirming that Saudi personnel working at the crossing are playing a notable role.

She affirmed that the Iraqi diplomatic mission, in coordination with the consulate general in Jeddah and the Iraqi Hajj mission, is following up on pilgrims’ affairs and providing the necessary consular and administrative services.

Al-Suhail recalled, in her remarks on the land route, the “Zubaydah Trail,” one of the oldest Hajj routes in Islamic history, associated with Zubaydah bint Jaafar, wife of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, who devoted her wealth to developing it and providing water for pilgrims between Kufa and Makkah.

In conclusion, the ambassador affirmed that Iraq, with its government, people, and religious authorities, places the Hajj journey above all considerations and works in a spirit of partnership with Saudi Arabia to ensure that this season is smooth, safe, and successful, God willing.