KHARTOUM – Saudi Arabia has expressed support for the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue initiative, saying it is ready to contribute to efforts aimed at advancing peace, restoring stability and preserving Sudan’s unity and state institutions.
Saudi Ambassador to Sudan Zaid bin Mukhlid Al-Harbi made the remarks during a meeting on Thursday with the committee preparing the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue.
The meeting focused on the committee’s vision for an inclusive national dialogue bringing together political forces and social groups across Sudan.
Discussions also covered the inclusiveness of the process, the parties expected to participate, the future of the dialogue and its potential impact on Sudan’s political situation.
The committee said it provided clarifications in response to questions raised by the Saudi ambassador.
It is seeking to build common ground among political and social forces for a nationally owned dialogue whose decisions and outcomes would be shaped by Sudanese participants amid the continuing war and political crisis.
The committee said the meeting marked the beginning of a series of contacts with Saudi Arabia and other Arab and regional actors aimed at supporting its efforts and accelerating consultations toward broader understandings among Sudanese parties.
The committee has also held talks with the Forces of Freedom and Change-Democratic Bloc, whose delegation was led by its political secretary and Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minawi.
The committee was represented in those talks by political liaison coordinator Nabil Adib and spokesman Osman Mirghani.
The Democratic Bloc expressed readiness to engage positively with efforts to prepare the dialogue and stressed that the process should include different political and social forces without exclusion or marginalization.
Discussions also addressed expanding political and social participation, ending the war and addressing the root causes of Sudan’s crisis.
The political consultations are taking place alongside regional and international efforts to end the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023 and has caused mass displacement, disruption of basic services and worsening humanitarian needs.
No date has yet been announced for the formal start of the dialogue, and no final list of participants or specific mechanism for Saudi support was disclosed.
