At the Kingdom’s Invitation, OIC Holds Emergency Meeting to Discuss Developments in Sudan

Jeddah, May 4, 2023, SPA -- At the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Jeddah-headquartered Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss developments in Sudan.
Opening the meeting, OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha underlined that the organization will implement the recommendations of the member states, including the possibility of sending a high-profile delegation to Sudan in coordination with Saudi Arabia, the chair of the current Islamic Summit and the OIC Executive Committee.
Taha expressed sorrow over the eruption of hostilities in Sudan during a time the world was hoping to see the Sudanese parties inking a final agreement and forming a transitional civil government. He also lamented the partial adherence to the humanitarian truce to evacuate injured people and diplomatic missions.
He also urged immediate action to address critical developments and the deteriorating situation in Sudan as a result of ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Secretary-General also commended the Saudi initiative which called for the OIC’s emergency meeting and the Kingdom’s efforts and communications with the concerned Sudanese parties and key regional and international players, who seek the launch of a joint endeavor to formulate peaceful solutions to Sudan’s crisis.
He commended the Kingdom's evacuation efforts under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the OIC Dr. Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani then delivered the Kingdom’s speech at the open-ended emergency meeting of the OIC Executive Committee on the situation in the Republic of the Sudan.
Al-Suhaibani welcomed the permanent representatives, who convened at the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the current chair of the Islamic Summit and the OIC Executive Committee.
He expressed hope for the meeting to formulate a unified Islamic stance that contributes to bridging the rift and stopping the bloodshed in Sudan, the bountiful land, the country of the two Niles, and the homeland of water and life.
"We are following up as you are, with hearts full of pain and sorrow on what is taking place now in the Republic of Sudan, the country of diverse deep-rooted civilizations and rich cultural heritage, amid fighting that threatens its unity and the bloodshed between the brothers and people of the one country that can accommodate all,” Al-Suhaibani said.
He hailed Sudan’s people as “characterized by generosity, kindness, tolerance, patience, and mindfulness.”
The Saudi permanent representative to the OIC stressed that Sudan is in dire need of“unified ranks, accord, harmony, solidarity, and renouncing violence to engage in construction and development, achieve stability and prosperity, and respond to the aspirations of the ambitious Sudanese people, who love optimism and life,” Al-Suhaibani added.
He stressed that the “Sudanese people have suffered enough of the scourge of conflicts and the pain of humanitarian crises and have gone through bitter experiences that draw lessons and morals”.
“It is time for these honorable people to live their lives in safety, security and prosperity, move forward in achieving their ambitions and aspirations, and get out of the inferno of their crises,” the Saudi permanent representative to the OIC stated.
“We are certain that Sudan, which was capable of crossing multiple challenges and overcoming numerous obstacles throughout history and with the values of brotherhood and noble Islamic principles held by its people, are able now more than ever to overcome this critical stage in the history of their country,” he stressed.
Al- Suhaibani affirmed that the Sudanese people are also capable of “opening a new page of confidence with the least damage and the greatest gains in order to build a new Sudan that detests wars and conflicts.”
Through the meeting, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will renew its call for the brothers in the Republic of Sudan for de-escalation, restraint, and the prioritization of the language of dialogue and national reconciliation, Al-Suhaibani noted.
The Kingdom also will reiterate its call for halting all forms of escalation in a way that preserves the resources of the Sudanese people and their gains and for unifying 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," Al-Suhaibani affirmed.
At the same time, the Kingdom also welcomes the implementation of the truce, the extension of the ceasefire, and the provision of safe humanitarian corridors, the Saudi permanent representative to the OIC said.
Al-Suhaibani added that the Kingdom looks forward to this truce contributing to a permanent cessation of fighting and leading to dialogue so that peace, security, safety and stability to prevail across all parts of Sudan.
He stated that the Kingdom has been making unremitting efforts, under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and HRH the Crown Prince to resolve the Sudanese crisis and end the conflict since the outbreak of armed clashes in mid-April. These efforts are made as a sense of what is dictated by the principles of the true Islamic religion, in harmony with the Charter of the OIC, and in line with the principles of neighborliness and noble human values. They also come as an extension of the Kingdom’s philanthropic efforts since ancient times to stand with the brothers in Sudan in their joys and sorrows.
In this regard, he pointed out that the Kingdom continues, with great interest, to play a major diplomatic and humanitarian role in this crisis. This 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. The number of those evacuated so far has reached nearly 6,000 individuals, belonging to more than 100 nationalities from all over the world.
“Meanwhile, the Kingdom commends the good cooperation of the Sudanese government in facilitating these operations, and in this regard, it also hails the efforts of other countries that have undertaken humanitarian efforts with regard to evacuations or receiving refugees fleeing from conflict areas, and providing humanitarian support to the displaced,” said Al-Suhaibani.
At the same time, he added, the Kingdom calls on the international community and all countries and humanitarian organizations to hasten to come together to support the brotherly Sudanese people.
“The Kingdom also appreciates the role of the General Secretariat of the OIC and its tangible moves within the framework of tripartite coordination with the United Nations, the Arab League, and the African Union, in addition to its communication with active regional and international institutions to reach a comprehensive solution to this crisis,” said Al-Suhaibani.
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.”
Al-Suhaibani added that such crises also urge us to activate preventive diplomacy aimed at avoiding the emergence of conflicts and anticipating resolving them through diplomatic means to prevent disputes from escalating into conflicts and to defuse conflicts 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.
He pointed out that the Kingdom, as the chair of the Islamic Summit and the Executive Committee, looks forward to supporting the current efforts to put an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, and calls on them to give priority to the stability and security of the Sudanese homeland over any interest and to stop the bloodshed.
In conclusion, the permanent representative of the Kingdom to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation wished the meeting success, thanking the members of the Executive Committee for attending and interacting with the event, and appreciating the attendance of the permanent delegates as well as representatives of the member states of the OIC, and workers in the General Secretariat of the Organization for organizing the extraordinary meeting.
Then the members of the Executive Committee, permanent delegates, and representatives of the Member States of the Organization held their closed working session.
--SPA