Jaishankar speaks to his Saudi Arabian, UAE counterparts over Sudan situation

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday dialled his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan and discussed Sudan’s situation while stating that both countries will remain in “close touch”.

Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, “Spoke to Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, HH @FaisalbinFarhan just now. Appreciated his assessment of the Sudan situation. Will remain in close touch.”
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry, in the statement, said, “His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, received a phone call from the Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.”

“During the call, they discussed the current situation in the Republic of Sudan, with an emphasis on the importance of stopping the military escalation and returning to the framework agreement, in a way that ensures the security and stability of Sudan and its brotherly people,” the statement added.

India is coordinating closely with various countries to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in Sudan.

India had also talked with the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister and tracked Sudan’s situation.

“Thank HH @ABZayed, Foreign Minister of UAE, for the exchange of views on the situation in Sudan. Our continuing contacts are helpful,” he said in another tweet.

Thank HH @ABZayed, Foreign Minister of UAE, for the exchange of views on the situation in Sudan.

Our continuing contacts are helpful.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 18, 2023

Earlier, on Monday, the MEA also set up a dedicated Control Room to assist Indians stranded in Sudan. The officials of the Ministry of External Affairs are also in continuous touch with Indian Embassy in Khartoum and are getting regular reports of the status of the Indian community.

The Embassy in turn is in touch with the community and individuals through multiple methods including WhatsApp groups, sources said, adding that situation on the street is very tense and movement is very risky at this stage. The priority of MEA is the safety of movement and well-being of individuals where ever they are located, as per sources.

While both the Ministry of External Affairs and the Embassy are continuously monitoring the situation, concerns of safety and security constrained it from putting out specific details, as per sources.

There have been violent clashes in Sudan for nearly six days between the country’s army and a paramilitary group over a proposed timeline for handing over power to a civilian government.