African Union, Saudi Arabia Reaffirm Strategic Partnership and Commitment to Regional Stability

Addis Ababa, February 23, 2026 (FMC) — The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, received Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Walid bin Abdul Karim Al-Khuraiji, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation and advancing regional stability.

The engagement reflected a shared interest in deepening multilateral collaboration, enhancing bilateral engagement, and supporting peace, security and sustainable development across the African continent.

Discussions covered regional and international issues of mutual concern, with particular focus on reinforcing strategic cooperation aligned with Africa’s development priorities.

The Saudi Vice Minister commended the African Union’s leadership in addressing complex political and security challenges across the continent and highlighted Africa’s economic potential. He noted that persistent conflicts and instability continue to hinder inclusive growth and exacerbate humanitarian pressures, underscoring that lasting peace and stability remain essential for long-term development.

The evolving situations in Libya, Somalia and Sudan were also reviewed. Regarding Sudan, the Saudi Vice Minister expressed concern over worsening humanitarian and security conditions and their implications for national cohesion and regional stability. He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for coordinated international and regional efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable resolution, including through the Jeddah Process co-facilitated by Saudi Arabia and the United States, with the participation of the African Union.

The Chairperson reaffirmed the African Union’s position in support of Sudan’s independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and rejected attempts to establish parallel authorities outside the country’s constitutional framework. He emphasized the importance of preserving unified national institutions to safeguard cohesion and facilitate a credible transition toward a democratically elected, civilian-led government in line with African Union decisions.

He also called on Sudanese stakeholders to refrain from unilateral actions that could deepen divisions and stressed the need for an inclusive, Sudanese-owned and African-led political process aimed at achieving a consensual and sustainable settlement.

The meeting further reviewed the outcomes of the inaugural Saudi Arabia–Africa Summit held in Riyadh in 2023, with both sides agreeing to intensify preparations for its next edition. The summit was highlighted as a strategic platform for consolidating economic, diplomatic and political cooperation between Saudi Arabia and African states.

Discussions additionally explored the possibility of establishing an African Union office in Riyadh as part of efforts to institutionalize and strengthen the partnership.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing multidimensional cooperation grounded in solidarity, mutual respect and shared prosperity.