Sudan: UN Warning and Delay in the National Interest
It is no secret to political observers that four influential powers have a vested interest in maintaining the current Sudanese crisis, driven by strategic objectives and economic interests. The United Nations has described the situation as “the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.”
Personally, I support the recent joint statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and Saudi Arabia, which calls for a political settlement based on Sudanese ground and the preservation of national institutions’ authority, at the very least.
Sudan represents China’s third-largest African trade partner. According to official statistics, it is also the sixth-largest supplier of oil to China, in addition to representing broader economic partnership ambitions. For any party seeking such a partnership, Sudan offers 350,000 barrels of oil per day, with reserves reaching up to three billion barrels. It also provides 200 million feddans of agricultural land, of which only about 64 million feddans have been utilized to date.
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Sudan also produces some of the world’s most important and unique products, such as gum arabic, which is used in many strategic industries. This significance led Western countries to exempt it from the economic sanctions previously imposed on Sudan.
Furthermore, Sudan encompasses 115 million feddans of natural grazing lands, supporting a massive livestock sector that ranks sixth globally. In terms of its agricultural capacity and livestock and fisheries resources, Sudan represents a potential global food basket at a time when the world is witnessing early signs of food wars.
Sudan also possesses a 750-kilometer Red Sea coastline that can be exploited and utilized for diverse investments, including fishing, the establishment of maritime ports, the launch of recreational projects, and the promotion of its tourism potential. Additionally, this coastline can be leveraged militarily through the establishment of military bases and similar infrastructure.
China’s foreign policy agenda does not include the principle of “creative chaos”; rather, it emphasizes state stability and conflict avoidance. This approach serves its ambitious commercial goal of expanding market access for its products and ensuring smooth and easy imports, within the framework of its expansive economic project.
Moreover, Beijing has a track record of successful investment in Sudan, having successfully invested in the oil sector during the period of Western isolation imposed on Khartoum.
Thus, windows of hope for a resolution remain open, even as the four aforementioned countries delay action for their own interests. However, those overly optimistic may see other avenues for the same solution. Notably, the international community—particularly Sudan’s neighboring countries—recognizes the dangers posed by the war. The conflict’s repercussions are not confined to Sudan alone but extend to most of these neighboring states, compelling them to act swiftly and exert their utmost efforts to end the war and establish peace.
$ Saudi writer and researcher
