The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, today received Walid bin Abdul Karim Al-Khuraiji, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accompanied by a high-level delegation, at the Headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa.
The meeting was held in a spirit of partnership and constructive dialogue, reflecting the shared commitment of the African Union and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to advancing multilateral cooperation, strengthening bilateral engagement, and promoting peace, security, and sustainable development across the African continent.
The two sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, with particular emphasis on enhancing strategic cooperation in support of Africa’s development priorities.
The Vice Minister commended the African Union’s continued leadership in addressing complex political and security challenges and underscored Africa’s significant economic potential. He noted that persistent conflicts and instability continue to impede inclusive growth and exacerbate humanitarian needs, stressing that durable peace and stability remain indispensable foundations for long-term development and prosperity.
Discussions also addressed the evolving situations in several conflict-affected contexts, including Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. Regarding Sudan, the Vice Minister conveyed the Kingdom’s deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian and security conditions and their implications for national cohesion and regional stability. He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting coordinated international and regional efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable resolution to the crisis, including through the Jeddah Process, co-facilitated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States, with the active participation of the African Union, as well as the broader quartet framework in which the Union remains an engaged and key mediation partner.
The Chairperson reaffirmed the African Union’s principled position in support of the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Sudan, and reiterated the Union’s rejection of any attempts to establish parallel authorities outside the constitutional and legal framework of the State. He emphasized that safeguarding unified and functional national institutions is essential to preserving Sudan’s cohesion and enabling a credible transition toward a democratically elected, civilian-led government, in line with relevant African Union decisions and instruments.
The Chairperson further called upon all Sudanese stakeholders to refrain from unilateral actions that may exacerbate divisions and reiterated the imperative of an inclusive, Sudanese-owned, and African-led political process aimed at achieving a consensual and sustainable settlement.
Expressing appreciation for the Kingdom’s sustained engagement in support of peace initiatives across Africa, the Chairperson underscored the African Union’s readiness to deepen coordination with Saudi Arabia in mediation and post-conflict recovery efforts. He highlighted the importance of the reopening of the AU Office in Khartoum and continued dialogue with the parties to the conflict as part of a comprehensive approach to restoring peace and stability.
The two sides also reviewed outcomes of the inaugural Saudi Arabia–Africa Summit, held in Riyadh in 2023, and agreed to intensify preparations for its next edition. They underscored the Summit’s role as a strategic platform for consolidating economic, diplomatic, and political cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and African States.
In this context, discussions included the possibility of establishing an African Union office in Riyadh, as a further step toward institutionalizing and strengthening the partnership. The Chairperson reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to advancing multidimensional cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, guided by the principles of solidarity, mutual respect, and shared prosperity.
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