Saudi Arabia

SUNA, 16 Sept 2026: Sovereignty Council member and Chief of Staff (al-Atta) received the Saudi ambassador at the armed forces General Command – a military, not foreign-ministry, venue. Agenda not stated.

Fact-check

Beam Reports rated a circulated 'Sudan–Saudi cooperation agreement' statement (Mar 2026) fabricated.

Source

official SAF-side (SUNA, state news agency of the Port Sudan/Khartoum government)

(1) Feb 2024: the DIS director-general met the governor of the Saudi General Authority for Military Industries in Riyadh (see DIS). (2) 9-13 Nov 2025: the armed forces spokesman announced Sudan's participation in the 'Red Wave 8' naval exercise hosted by Saudi Arabia. (3) 30-31 Jul 2026: Sudan 'joined the multinational defensive maritime coalition called for by Saudi Arabia'; the chief of staff attended the founding meeting in Riyadh (Bab al-Mandab, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden). (4) 15 Sep 2026: Chief of Staff Yasir al-Atta received the Saudi ambassador at the General Command; they reviewed 'mechanisms to strengthen bilateral cooperation and coordination in the defence and training fields' and Red Sea security.

Why this grade

Grade A is for the fact that the page announced this. The page was identified as official by its name and content; no verification badge was detected.

Response

Saudi statements not looked up.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a mutual-defence agreement in Mecca on 7 August 2026. Relayed reports attribute to Le Monde the claim that Riyadh finances Turkish drones and Pakistani weapons for the SAF.

Why this grade

B for the agreement (several outlets, seen as headlines only; not Sudan-specific); D for Saudi financing of SAF arms (unverified relays of a Le Monde report not located)

Response

Signatories describe the agreement as defensive and not directed at any state. First pass: Saudi Arabia has publicly distanced itself from supplying arms to Sudan.

Sanctions

None

Sudan's Ministry of Finance table of loan and grant drawings shows zero from the Saudi Fund in 2025 and Q1 2026. Imports from Saudi Arabia rose from US$296.4m in 2024 to US$1,016.6m in 2025 (US$182.4m in Q1 2026). No report of a Saudi central-bank deposit since April 2023 was found; every search hit for a Saudi deposit dates from 2019. Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim said in 2026 that government policy, not foreign deposits, stabilised the pound (Sudan Tribune).

Response

Gibril Ibrahim: 'government policies succeeded in stabilizing the pound against foreign currencies'.

On 27 Jan 2026 Sudan's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure said Saudi companies would get priority in reconstruction, including railways, ports, logistics zones and the Abu Amama port project. No companies or contract values named. Ordinary commerce.

Response

No response located in the sources reviewed.

Sanctions

None found in OFAC SDN / EU / UK lists checked 2026-10-03

Political and financial backer of the SAF; reported broker/financier of the Pakistan arms package, later reported to have blocked it.

Response

Saudi government media office did not respond to Reuters (Jan 2026). Al-Monitor: Saudi Arabia has publicly sought to distance itself from any role in supplying arms to Sudan. Reuters sources disagreed on whether Riyadh was paying: one said the Saudis brokered the deal with no indication they were paying; another said Saudi was not providing funds.

Sanctions

None.

Reported as having mediated/considered financing the Pakistan–Sudan arms deal, then telling Pakistan it would not finance the purchase, leading to suspension. This is evidence of withheld rather than delivered support.

Response

Saudi government communications centre had not responded to a request for comment.

Source

London-based, Qatar-linked, Islamist-leaning; relaying Reuters