South Sudan/Sudan (Abyei)

The UN chief asked the Security Council to increase the UNISFA by 1126 personnel saying it will strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of UN Peacekeeping.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for calm in Abyei, an area contested by Sudan and South Sudan, following the killing of a top tribal chief and a UN peacekeeper from the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), as tensions in the area reportedly remain high today.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in the oil-rich Abyei area, which is contested by South Sudan and Sudan, has completed its first verification mission to make sure that troops from both Governments pull out of the demilitarized border zone.

In a letter issued ahead of next week’s South Sudan ruling party (SPLA) political bureau meeting, members of the Abyei community expressed deep concerns over the manner in which UNISFA was handling security in the disputed region.

South Sudan on Tuesday said it would respect decisions taken by natives of the oil-producing region of Abyei, if the Sudanese government continues derailing efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the area, as proposed by the African Union.

South Sudan does not have plans to allow the United Nations to administer the fertile oil-producing border region of Abyei, which is also claimed by the government of neighbouring Sudan, a senior official said Tuesday.

The Sudanese government on Sunday expressed confidence that its dispute with South Sudan over the border region of Abyei will not make it to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Misseriya leaders said they are decided to settle in Abyei during this year to participate in the referendum over the future of the area which is claimed by Sudan and South Sudan. (A) leading tribal figure told reporters in Khartoum … that it is a crucial step to have the upper hand in the area and to avoid Abyei’s annexation to South Sudan.

The formation of the joint interim administration in the disputed Abyei region will depend on whether the forthcoming presidential summit makes a “successful breakthrough” on its final status, a South Sudanese official said Wednesday.