KHARTOUM: Saudi Arabia’s evacuation efforts in conflict-hit Sudan have put the Gulf kingdom’s regional influence on display as it welcomes thousands of shell-shocked civilians, mostly foreigners, from more than 100 countries on six continents.
As of Monday, Saudi Arabia had welcomed over 5,400 civilian evacuees. The HMS Al Diriyah, a 102-meter-long Saudi warship mostly used to escort oil tankers through the Red Sea, played a central role in transporting civilians to safety on Saudi soil.
While the evacuation efforts have been praised, some analysts caution that the focus on the evacuations risks overshadowing the complex role that Saudi Arabia and other international powers have played in Sudan’s turmoil, particularly their support for the two generals at the heart of the conflict.
Kholood Khair, the founder of the Confluence Advisory, a Khartoum-based think tank, argues that the fighting, which has killed hundreds and injured thousands so far, resulted partly from the “gentle hand-holding” of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and paramilitary RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo when the world leaders should have insisted on real reform.
Global appreciation for Saudi Arabia
However, Saudi Arabia appears to be intent on capturing the goodwill conferred on Qatar in 2021 when it welcomed thousands of civilians fleeing the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.
By projecting its influence and leveraging relations with both rival generals stemming partly from their involvement in the war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a mediator in the crisis and has urged an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
While some evacuees have criticized the “no-frills” evacuation experience, describing it as chaotic and heavily securitized, others have credited Saudi Arabia with being “the only ones on the surface which are taking any kind of responsibility by offering this safe route out, even if politics mar it.”
Despite the criticisms, the politics behind Saudi Arabia’s engagement may mean little to its beneficiaries, including the fifty-two evacuees who boarded the HMS Al Diriyah on Sunday. After being plied with Arabic coffee and dates, the women, men, and children spread out on rugs and tried to sleep, battling seasickness as the Corvette raced to Jeddah.
Nearing the port, a Saudi commander addressed the group, apologizing that he couldn’t have made the journey more comfortable by offering beds to everyone. His final words prompted them to break into applause. “Once you get to Jeddah, there will be hotels inshallah,” he said. “You will forget all about this trip.”
