Südsudan/Sudan (Abyei)

The future of the Abyei area should be decided within the framework of developing the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation between South Sudan and Sudan, says a statement issued in Juba on Sunday. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok flanked by Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi and his Political Adviser Yasir Arma, held a meeting with South Sudan’s Committee for Abyei Final Status to discuss the final status of the Abyei area.

The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has deployed forces in Dunguop village of Abyei town after an attack on civilians left at least 11 people dead and seven others injured, according to the area deputy administrator.

The new rapprochement between Sudan and South Sudan has yet to translate into significant improvements on the ground in relation to their dispute over the Abyei region, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council during a videoconference briefing today.

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Sudan has requested the United Nations to replace Ethiopian peacekeepers in Abyei with another force from different countries, Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi stated on Tuesday.

The Security Council on Wednesday extended until 15 May 2018 the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Abyei, a contested area on the Sudan-South Sudan border.

Despite the strengthening of the relationship between Sudan and South Sudan, little progress has been made regarding the disputed Abyei region, the head of UN Peacekeeping told the Security Council on Thursday. Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed ambassadors on recent developments concerning the oil-rich border area, where the UN interim security force, UNISFA, has been deployed since 2011 to protect civilians and humanitarians. 

[…] Notwithstanding the continued rapprochement between the Sudan and South Sudan, the peace process has made little progress in Abyei.

South Sudanese and Sudanese officials Thursday vowed to settle the issue of the disputed border area of Abyei after the end of the Juba process for peace in Sudan.