UN renews UNISFA mandate for six months

Addis Ababa, November 16, 2016 (FBC) – The UN Security Council yesterday, unanimously adopting resolution 2318 (2016), extended the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until 15 May next year, recognizing the situation there as a serious threat to international peace.

UNISFA, made up of Ethiopian troops at the request of the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan, was established in June 2011.

The resolution reiterated the demand for Sudan and South Sudan to urgently establish an Abyei Area Administration and Council, as well as a police service that could take over policing functions throughout the area, including the protection of oil infrastructure.

It underlined the critical need for the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to cooperate over Abyei and expressed renewed concern over delays and stalled efforts to fully operationalize a Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism, which UNISFA would support.

It also called for renewed efforts to determine the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone centre line on the ground, emphasizing that this line would in no way prejudice the legal status of the border, the ongoing negotiations on the disputed and claimed areas, or the demarcation of the borders.

It urged the two Governments to take immediate steps to implement confidence-building measures among the Abyei Area communities, and strongly urges all the Abyei communities to exercise maximum restraint and to desist from inflammatory acts or statements that might lead to violent clashes.

The representative of Sudan said UNISFA’s efforts had resulted in improvement of the security situation in Abyei and better relations between the Missiriya and the Ngok-Dinka communities.

He called on South Sudan to positively engage with his Government to establish the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism, the Joint Police and other institutions.

The representative of South Sudan said cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan was crucial to any constructive efforts in Abyei and he hoped the recent improvement in relations would develop into greater cooperation.

He said the promotion and consolidation of peace, security and stability were the responsibilities of both governments; and asked that committee that investigated the killing of the Ngok-Dinka Paramount Chief in May 2013 should make its report public.