It is sad to see what is happening in Sudan. Blood is being shed and people are fleeing from this good country, which is known for its peaceful people, who are advocates of goodness and love wherever they may be. It is indeed unfortunate to see this infighting taking place between the dear and brotherly sons of Sudan. Although Sudan has witnessed many events since its independence, and even before independence, the coups, military movements and civil revolutions never led to bloody fighting between the Sudanese themselves. Sudanese blood was always sacred, as was the brotherhood among the people of the same country. We used to see the Sudanese agree to reunite and put an end to their disputes quickly, with a peaceful and rational solution. They always resorted to wisdom and tolerance. We would not even hear an official speak obscenely about an opponent. We can say frankly, without equivocation or political or diplomatic shyness, that Sudan, which symbolizes the African-Arab relationship that is rooted between the two shores of the Red Sea, has been the target of endless conflicts and instability for many decades. Once this was in a long war in its south that ended with secession, another in its west, and a third in its east. Moreover, it was forced to remain an economically and politically fragile entity, far from stable and sustainable development. What has contributed to this state of instability, weakness and fragility is the insufficiency and absence of a common, intelligent Arab vision that is aware of the danger of this brotherly country’s weakening and its plunge into these problems. In general, this unfortunate situation of the Arabs is not only toward Sudan, but rather it is a chronic situation. However, during the last decade, it has been exacerbated as a result of the successive tragic events we have witnessed in many Arab countries. Nevertheless, we cannot blame just the external factors. The Sudanese political administrations, which failed to invest in the country’s fortunes and benefit from the meekness and kindness of its patient people, were the main factor that exposed the Sudanese ship to heavy winds. Sudanese political administrations have failed to invest in the country’s fortunes and benefit from the meekness and kindness of its patient people. Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama However, we trust the ability of wise Arab governments of weight, importance and prestige, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in cooperation with the countries of East Africa represented by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the honest sides in the international community, to rectify what has happened and strive to stop this bleeding. The situation threatens direct repercussions for the entire region, which has been destined to remain on a hot plate, as it calms down at times and ignites a burning flame at others, especially since the evidence indicates that the fires of Sudan, if not extinguished soon, will spread to a larger regional environment. Saudi Arabia, through its active and rapid humanitarian intervention to get its citizens and others out of the war zone, has once again demonstrated its great and pioneering ability in the region, which heavily relies on this role in every event and situation. The Kingdom’s role has also been accompanied by the role of my country, Djibouti, which has been a station to save those crossing from Sudan to their own countries. Hence, Djibouti has reaffirmed that it is an oasis of security and peace, thanks to God and the wisdom of its leadership, and this is what has made Saudi Arabia and Djibouti a focus of global appreciation for their great positive roles. Finally, we ask God to save this brotherly country, Sudan, which has given the Arabs, Africa and humanity more than it has taken. Despite our sadness and regret over what is happening, there is still hope to save Sudan so that it will not be dragged into a long and fierce war that destroys everything, as has happened with many other countries in the region. • Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama is the ambassador of Djibouti to Saudi Arabia. Twitter: @dya_bamakhrama