South Sudan/Sudan (Abyei)

Unknown gunmen killed three civilians in Abyei during the last week in a series of attacks that the UN security force (UNISFA) considers as "a blatant violation of the weapons-free status" of the disputed area.

A Zimbabwean police officer has received this year’s International Female Police Peacekeeper Award for her service and achievements in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). … According to the UN, as head of the Gender and Children Affairs unit in the police component of UNISFA, the senior Zimbabwean police officer helped establish a women’s network in Abyei.

After a 12-year delay in resolving the Abyei border dispute between South Sudan and Sudan, the African Union is now putting pressure on Juba and Khartoum to restart the demarcation talks. The AU is concerned that the six-month ultimatum given to the two countries by the United Nations in January to resolve the matter has expired without any results.

The Sudanese committee for the administration of Abyei area said a tripartite delegation from the African Union, United Nations and the UN Security Council would visit Khartoum on Wednesday to discuss the Abyei file.

The Sudanese committee for the administration of Abyei area said a tripartite delegation from the African Union, United Nations and the UN Security Council would visit Khartoum on Wednesday to discuss the Abyei file.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Monday has decided to reduce Abyei force and warned it may withdraw its support to the Sudan-South Sudan border monitoring force if they continue to impede the activation of the operation. The 15-member body unanimously adopted the resolution 2352 (2017) which provides extending until 15 November 2017 the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Also, the Council decided to reduce UNISFA’s troops from 5,326 to 4,791, marking the first change in the Force’s troop levels since 2013.

The new United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) acting head of mission and force commander, Major General Tesfay Gidey Hailemichael of Ethiopia arrived in the disputed region of Abyei Tuesday to assume his duties.

The United Nations Security Council has called on Sudan and South Sudan to immediately resume negotiations on the final status of the disputed area of Abyei, saying it constitutes a serious threat to international order.

Recognizing that the situation along the Sudan-South Sudan border remained a serious threat to international peace and security, the Security Council decided this afternoon to extend until 15 May 2017 the mandate of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).