• Saudi Arabia: the official spokesman for the Coalition Forces, Turki al-Maliki, announced the interception and destruction of a ballistic missile launched this morning, Wednesday, towards the city of Taif in the west of the Kingdom, a development followed by Sudanese residing and working in the Kingdom because of its direct connection to their security and the stability of their work and movement. (Source: Saudi Press Agency — SPA) • Qatari mediation and Tehran talks: Iran is studying a new draft agreement presented by Qatari mediators in Tehran on Sunday, which includes a timeframe of 7 days for mutual confidence-building steps, coinciding with senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan meeting Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday to reduce escalation, and the Qatari Foreign Ministry saying on Tuesday that the success of the mediation requires stopping threats to Gulf states and opening the Strait of Hormuz; calming in the Gulf and Hormuz affects Sudan through Red Sea security, shipping movement to its ports and energy and food prices. (Source: Reuters) • Oil: Brent crude futures rose by 1.48 dollars, or 1.3 percent, to 115.36 dollars per barrel by 01:40 GMT today, Wednesday, and West Texas Intermediate crude rose to 101.12 dollars, after the Houthis announced on Tuesday that they had targeted the Ras Tanura refinery, the largest Saudi refinery with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, which the Saudi authorities had not confirmed as of the issuance of the news; rising oil puts pressure on the cost of fuel, transport and imports in Sudan and on the families of Sudanese in the Gulf alike. (Source: Reuters) • Gulf markets: Gulf stocks fell in early trading today, Wednesday, with the Saudi index down 1.3 percent, the Dubai index 0.5 percent, the Abu Dhabi index 1 percent and the Qatari index 0.2 percent, amid investor concern over a new regional escalation; these are movements followed by Sudanese workers in the Gulf because of their connection to jobs, business and the value of their remittances to their families. (Source: Reuters) • The UAE: the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, witnessed today in Ottawa the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Canada, to frame the enhancement of trade and investment flows between the two countries; the expansion of the UAE's economic partnerships matters to Sudanese residing and working there for the job, trade and investment opportunities it opens. (Source: Emirates News Agency — WAM) • Qatar and energy: the Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Philippe Mshelbila, affirmed that Qatar is a strategic and main partner in shaping the future of the energy sector through its expansion plans in liquefied natural gas, noting that meeting global demand requires investments of approximately 12 trillion dollars over thirty years, with demand expected to rise by 31 percent; the stability of gas and energy markets is reflected in the fuel and food prices borne by Sudanese at home and in the Gulf. (Source: Qatar News Agency — QNA) • Kuwait: Kuwait's Foreign Minister, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, arrived in Riyadh today on an official visit and was received by Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Al-Khuraiji, while the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry today summoned the Iranian ambassador and handed him a note of protest over a statement by his country's embassy which it considered interference in internal affairs and an infringement of Kuwait's sovereignty and the independence of its judiciary; Gulf coordination and the cohesion of its states are conditions for the stability of Sudanese work and life in the region. (Sources: Saudi Press Agency — SPA and Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs) • OPEC+ and global commodities: three sources said that the OPEC+ alliance, which includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman among its core members, is likely to keep December production targets unchanged at Sunday's meeting, while the World Bank today expected global primary commodity prices to jump by 23 percent in 2026 due to rising energy and shipping disruption; these expectations warn of further pressure on Sudan's bill for fuel and food and on the purchasing power of families that depend on Gulf remittances. (Source: Reuters)
— Editorial Team
