“The political process between the Sudan and South Sudan on Abyei and border issues remains stalled,” warned UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee last month. Situated along the boundary between Sudan and South Sudan, the territory of Abyei has been fiercely contested by the two countries since their separation in 2011. The territory continues to experience cycles of violence and displacement, with civilians bearing the brunt.
In November, the Security Council extended the mandate of the peacekeeping mission in Abyei, UNISFA, reaffirming its commitment to regional stability. However, despite significant progress in protecting civilians and alleviating intercommunal tensions, the mission is facing an increasingly complex landscape as it seeks to implement its mandate over the coming year.
UNISFA: a stabilizing presence despite stalled political process
Since 2011, UNISFA has been protecting civilians in Abyei, addressing intercommunal tensions, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and promoting law-and-order while supporting dialogue between Sudan and South Sudan to find a long-term, peaceful resolution to the dispute over Abyei.
UNISFA has stood ready to support key elements of the 2011 political agreement between the two countries, which envisioned interim administrative and security structures for Abyei until a final political resolution can be reached. This includes support the Abyei Police Service once it has been established, and to mechanisms like the Joint Political and Security Mechanism and the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee, through which Sudan and South Sudan were envisioned to jointly manage political, administrative, and security matters in the territory.
However, progress on these initiatives has been slow, particularly since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023 and increasing political instability in South Sudan. Since 2023, neither government has participated in the Joint Political and Security Mechanism and the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee, and plans to operationalize the Abyei Police Service remain on hold.
UNISFA continues to call for renewed engagement by both countries while supporting community initiatives that help maintain law and order until long-term solutions can be found. Critically, UNISFA is helping maintain Abyei as a demilitarized zone and protecting civilians from violence. It is conducting patrols to maintain peace and security and curb criminality and is establishing community-based law and order mechanisms, helping bring some stability to Abyei.
The mission’s work to promote reconciliation between communities has also significantly reduced intercommunal violence through initiatives like the Joint Community Peace Committee that brings together leaders of the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities, who have historically clashed over rights in the territory. The mission also facilitated an agreement between the Twic and Ngok communities, which ended a two-year long conflict between them. These gains have largely been maintained despite the worsening regional environment in recent years. However, without progress in the political process, long-term peace remains at risk.
Read the full article on UN Peacekeeping website: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/conflict-update-security-council-extends…
