Dramatic development in the Middle East and Africa
Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
It seems to be interesting to note that dramatic development took place in the Middle East recently between gulf state of Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia on March 10 in 2023 to resume diplomatic relations brokered by People’s Republic of China. Both countries have been at ideological and military loggerheads since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution. The present move took place after seven years following Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relation with Iran over a Sunni-Shiite conflict, apart from two countries were involved in fighting in Yemen. Conflict intensified in 2021 when heavy fighting took place between Yemen Government forces and Houthi armed group which displaced over four million people and 233,000 killed in Yemen.
Since China brokered a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran China has now become practically a true detente instead of the United States of America.
This dramatic development drew the attention of Aron David Miller, a former Middle East Policy advisor at the State Department for 25 years who said that’ American influence and credibility in the region have diminished, particularly in Ryadh”. It seems interesting to note the comment made by veteran former Secretary of state of the United States Henry Kissinger who is reported to have commented that ‘China has recent years declared that it needs to be a participant in creating of world order. It has made such move. Kissinger must have a sense of deja vu as he watched China’. The veteran former US diplomat Henry Kissinger holds the opinion that a detente deal of rapprochement would be difficult for occupying Israel to put pressure on Iran as early as possible as used to be. A commentator in the Washington Post holds the opinion that Israeli” Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyhahu has hoped to capitalize on previous talks with the Saudis to normalize relations with Riyadh and create an alliance against Iran”. That situation does not exist any more.
Another interesting development in the Middle East is that now Syria is reported to have joined the Arab league and President Bashar Al-Assad attended the summit of Arab league on May 10 this year and requested financial help to Syria, a war torn country. Syria has been affected by civil war for 12 years. Civil war in Syria has killed as many as 350,000 people. President Assad is reported to have spoken by saying that an historic opportunity for Arab League to remake the region with least amount of foreign interference.
Meanwhile, Arab league has urged to end civil war in Sudan which emanates between military led by General Abdul Fatta Burha and the rival para-military Rapid support forces commanded by Mohammd Hamdan Dagalo. UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said on May 12 that declaration signed in the city of Jeddah on 12May that two sides in Sudan should refrain from attack humanitarian delivery desperately needed aid around 1000 people in Darfur. By now at least 676 people were killed in Darfur region till May 15. According to the UN it is estimated that about 15.8 million Sudanese will need humanitarian aid for survival. It is very important that both groups in Sudan should stop killing their own people. Both groups should resolve any conflict amicably for the interest of Sudan.
(The writer is a retired diplomat from Bangladesh and former President of prestigious Nova Toastmaster International club of America.
He writes from Virginia, USA).
