Year-end Review: Saudi Arabia Leads Efforts Towards Regional Stability in 2024
2024 has been marked by a myriad of global and regional conflicts that have caused heavy death toll and dire humanitarian crises. From Gaza to Lebanon, Syria and Sudan, Saudi Arabia has led global and regional efforts to bring these crises to an end, alleviate humanitarian suffering and achieve peace and stability across the Middle East and the wider world.
The Kingdom has always been a key player in Middle Eastern diplomacy and a leader of international efforts to drive a peaceful and prosperous future for the region.
Here is a preview of Saudi Arabia tireless efforts to restore peace and security across the Middle East in 2024:
Saudi Arabia: An Influential Diplomatic Player
The year started with conflicts ravaging across Gaza and Sudan. The brutal war in Gaza has brought death and devastation to the besieged Strip, claiming the lives of 45,000 Palestinians. The war stirred tensions across the region, with Israeli aggressions spreading to Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Since the onset of the war in October 2023, Saudi Arabia has made every effort to end hostilities.
In the light of this, the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, has led efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, stop Israeli aggression in Lebanon, and end the conflict in Sudan. Over the course of 2024, the Crown Prince discussed the Middle East’s crises with other world leaders, including the French President, Emmanuel Macron.
Furthermore, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, has made multiple diplomatic tours and engaged in negotiations with several relevant parties, trying to facilitate a ceasefire and a hostage deal. The Saudi Foreign Ministry has also repeatedly condemned Israeli violations against the peoples of Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.
Throughout 2024, Prince Faisal participated in several meetings, conferences, and diplomatic gatherings, highlighting the Middle East crises and stressing the need for unified and coordinated efforts to address these challenges. These included talks with his US counterpart, Antony Blinken; and foreign ministers’ meetings at the UN, G7, G20, the GCC, the Arab League and other forums.
Global Alliance for Two-State Solution
In recognition of its role as a regional leader, Saudi Arabia announced in late September the creation of a Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, urging other countries to join the alliance and recognize Palestine. The announcement came during a ministerial meeting at the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.
During the session, the Saudi Foreign Minister highlighted the violations of the Israeli forces in the West Bank, expressing concerns over the threats to Al-Aqsa Mosque, condemning the occupation policies, and warning that they will perpetuate the conflict. “The killing of civilians, forced displacement, and destruction can never be justified as self-defense,” Prince Faisal said.
The Global Alliance held its first high-level meeting on October 30, 2024, in Riyadh to push for bold and decisive actions towards implementing the two-state solution. It saw the participation of more than 90 countries.
On this occasion, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, commended the Kingdom’s efforts. “This Global Alliance should serve as an umbrella under which all global partners can bring their contribution in order to implement the Two-State Solution,” he said.
Arab-Islamic Follow-up Summit
The high-level meeting of the Global Alliance concluded with a Saudi call for a joint Arab-Islamic Follow-up Summit on November 11, 2024, in Riyadh to discuss the continued Israeli aggression the Palestinian Territories and Lebanon.
This announcement came at the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and as a continuation of the efforts of the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and in coordination with other Arab and Islamic leaders.
Inaugurating the Summit, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated Saudi Arabia’s categorial rejection of Israel’s crimes in Gaza. He also stressed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the urgent need for an independent Palestinian state, pointing to the success achieved in rallying countries to recognize Palestine.
Moreover, the Saudi Crown Prince condemned the Israeli military operations in Lebanon, emphasizing the Kingdom’s unwavering support for the peoples of Palestine and Lebanon.
The Summit’s closing statement reiterated support for the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian State along the 1967 borders, called the UN Security Council to issue a resolution granting the State of Palestine UN full membership, and called all countries to ban the export or transfer of weapons and ammunition to Israel.
The Recognition of Palestine
Over the course of 2024, Saudi Arabia has made tireless efforts to rally countries to recognize the State of Palestine, in a push to reach a two-state solution that ends the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
As a result, several Western countries officially recognized Palestine. These include Spain, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Armenia and the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
Furthermore, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, announced in early December that he, alongside the Saudi Crown Prince, will co-chair a conference in June 2025 for the establishment of a Palestinian state. “We have decided to co-chair a conference for the two states in June next year,” Macron said during his visit to Saudi Arabia, referring to Israel and a potential Palestinian state.
Syria Crisis
Saudi Arabia has followed closely the unfolding situation in Syria, emphasizing its support for the Syrian people and their choices. With regards to this, the Saudi Foreign Ministry stressed the Kingdom’s unwavering support for “the Syrian people and their choices at this critical stage in Syria’s history, calling for unifying efforts to preserve the unity of Syria and its people and protect the country from descending into chaos and division.”
The Foreign Ministry also condemned Israel’s seizure of the demilitarized buffer zone in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan Heights and the airstrikes against targets inside Syria. In the light of this, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said that these assaults “confirm Israel’s continued violation of the principles of international law, and its determination to sabotage Syria’s chances of restoring its security, stability and territorial integrity.”
Moreover, the Ministry emphasized the necessity for the international community to condemn these acts, reiterating the Kingdom’s position that the Golan Heights are an occupied Syrian land.
“Saudi Arabia stresses the need for the international community to condemn these Israeli violations, and emphasize respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that the Golan is occupied Syrian Arab land,” it noted.
Saudi Support for Syria’s Stability
Hence, the Saudi Foreign Minister held discussions with several stakeholders regarding the situation in Syria. In December 2024, Prince Faisal received a phone call from the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, where they discussed the latest developments in Syria.
He also met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Aqaba to discuss the developments in Syria. The meeting included the US State Secretary, Blinken; the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan; members of the Arab Ministerial Contact Committee on Syria; foreign ministers from several countries; and representatives from international organizations.
Also in December, Prince Faisal held a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty. Both officials discussed the political and military developments in Syria, underscoring the need to respect its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, while empowering its national institutions to restore stability. They also discussed the latest developments in Gaza.
In a sign of Saudi Arabia’s support for Syria’s stability and security, a Saudi delegation, led by an adviser from the Royal Court, met with the leader of Syria’s new administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, in Damascus.
In his recent appearances, Al-Sharaa praised Saudi Arabia’s support and pivotal role in shaping the future of Syria. He also expressed admiration for the Kingdom’s rapid progress under Vision 2030, hoping that Syria could follow a similar path. “We admire the development in Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia’s bold plans and vision, and we aspire to achieve similar progress for Syria.”
Saudi Efforts to End Sudan Conflict
Saudi Arabia has been a key player in driving peace efforts in Sudan. The Kingdom has engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations to bring an end to the conflict, resulting in the Jeddah Declaration in 2023. Since the start of 2024, Saudi Arabia has repeatedly called both sides of the conflict to comply with the Jeddah Declaration and end the suffering of the Sudanese people.
In July 2024, the Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji, met with the Chairman of the Sovereign Council of Sudan, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, in Port Sudan.
During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji emphasized the Kingdom leadership’s support for the return of peace and stability to Sudan, noting that this requires de-escalation and self-restraint, as well as a keenness to resume negotiations, showing flexibility and being responsive to positive and humanitarian initiatives. He also underscored the Kingdom’s support for all efforts that would advance the outcomes of the Jeddah Declaration.
Building on Jeddah Processes
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia co-hosted ceasefire talks in August 2024, alongside Switzerland, that aimed to build on the earlier Jeddah processes and reach a nationwide cessation of violence, enable humanitarian access to all those in need, and develop a robust monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure implementation of any agreement.
The talks, which involved the US, Egypt, the UAE, the African Union and the UN, resulted in the launch of Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) Group. The Group secured the opening of critical humanitarian access routes, received commitments to improve the protection of civilians, particularly women and children. It also developed a framework to ensure compliance with the Jeddah Declaration and any future agreements between the warring parties.
In October 2024, the ALPS Group urged the two warring sides to increase humanitarian access to all parts of Sudan and address civilian protection concerns.
In addition, Saudi Arabia has participated in the three sessions of the Consultative Meeting on Enhanced Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts for Sudan, the latest of which taking place in Mauritania in December 2024. During that meeting, Al-Khuraiji reiterated the Kingdom’s position that “the solution to the crisis in Sudan starts with ceasefire and enhancing humanitarian response.”
He also noted that the warring parties’ commitment to protecting Sudanese civilians, in line with the Jeddah Declaration signed on May 11, 2023, is “a step in the right direction anticipated by us and the Sudanese people, who are bearing the brunt of this devastating war.”
