Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy pledged the bloc’s full support for Sudan’s unity and sovereignty on Wednesday, rejecting any outside interference in the war-torn country’s affairs.
Why it matters: Sudan’s civil war has raged for more than three years now, and it has displaced nearly 12 million people. As a result, the country faces the world’s largest hunger and displacement crisis, according to the United Nations.
What he said: Fahmy delivered the message in a phone call with Sudan’s new foreign minister, Mohieldin Salem, who congratulated him on taking office. Salem also wished Fahmy success leading “joint Arab action,” Sudan’s state news agency reported.
Urgent Call for Ceasefire and Humanitarian Access
During the call, Fahmy stressed that the Arab League backs Sudan’s “unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” along with preserving its national institutions. He then urged an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access and civilian protection, so that Sudanese parties can pursue a homegrown political process toward “security, stability and development.”
The bigger picture: Fahmy, a veteran Egyptian diplomat, took over the League’s top post July 1, succeeding Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Since then, he has held similar calls with several Gulf officials, signaling an early push to prioritize Sudan diplomacy.
Meanwhile, repeated ceasefire attempts, including one brokered by a “Quad” of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the US, have failed to hold. The UN estimates 33.7 million Sudanese, roughly two-thirds of the population, will need aid this year. Rights groups, moreover, have accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of genocide in Darfur following its capture of El-Fasher last October.
What’s next: Fahmy said the League’s General Secretariat stands ready to coordinate with regional and international partners “in a manner that serves Sudan’s interests.” So far, however, no new peace talks have been scheduled.
