Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Thursday, held talks with the Sudanese Sovereignty Council Chairman, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and emphasized Doha’s commitment to ending the fighting in Sudan.
Through his “X” platform account, the Emir of Qatar stated: “I am pleased to welcome my brother Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and in our discussions, we aimed to strengthen our strong brotherly relations and develop bilateral cooperation in various fields.”
He continued: “During the talks, I reiterated Qatar’s steadfast commitment to supporting efforts to end the ongoing conflict in Sudan, to preserve its unity, security, and stability.”
According to a statement from the Qatari Emir’s office, Al-Burhan, who is also the chief of the army, briefed Sheikh Tamim on “the latest developments and challenges facing Sudan.”
During the session, Sheikh Tamim “reaffirmed Qatar’s stance calling for an end to the fighting in Sudan and the pursuit of dialogue and peaceful means to overcome differences.”
He also expressed Qatar’s aspiration for “the engagement of all Sudanese political forces in broad negotiations after a permanent cessation of military conflict, leading to a comprehensive and sustainable peace that fulfills the aspirations of the Sudanese people for stability, development, and prosperity.”
On May 6th of the previous year, Saudi Arabia and the United States began mediating talks between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in an agreement in Jeddah between the two sides to protect civilians, in addition to several ceasefires that were repeatedly violated, prompting Riyadh and Washington to suspend negotiations.
Al-Burhan expressed his “thanks and appreciation for the support of the State of Qatar to Sudan, both the government and the people, in a way that serves stability and development in the country,” according to the Emir’s office.
The discussions also addressed “ways to support and enhance the brotherly relations between the two countries, in addition to developments on regional and international events.”
This is Al-Burhan’s third foreign visit since the outbreak of the war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, in mid-April of the previous year.
On Wednesday evening, Al-Burhan issued two constitutional decrees, one dissolving the “Rapid Support Forces” and the other repealing the “Rapid Support Forces Act” that was passed in 2017, allowing these forces to operate under the umbrella of the Sudanese army.