The United States has urged Sudan and South Sudan to accelerate efforts to resolve the political and security challenges in the disputed Abyei region,...
The United States has urged Sudan and South Sudan to accelerate efforts to resolve the political and security challenges in the disputed Abyei region, warning that both countries must demonstrate measurable progress following the extension of the United Nations peacekeeping mission’s mandate.The US made the call on Friday after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until November 15, 2027.Speaking after the adoption of the resolution, US Ambassador Jeffrey Bartos, the country's representative for UN Management and Reform, said the new resolution establishes clearer benchmarks requiring Sudan and South Sudan to take concrete steps towards resolving Abyei's final status and improving security.Bartos said the two countries must hold regular, results-oriented negotiations on Abyei's final status and document the outcomes of their discussions.He cited the August 10 meeting of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism as an initial step, urging both governments to translate their engagements into tangible results.On security, the United States called on South Sudan to withdraw its forces from southern Abyei within a defined timeline, while urging Sudan to ensure its armed forces refrain from military operations in the area.Bartos also demanded the complete withdrawal of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from Abyei, saying the paramilitary group has no political or administrative legitimacy in the region.He further urged Sudanese authorities and South Sudan's transitional government to accelerate the establishment of the Abyei Police Service and expedite visas for all 640 authorized UN police personnel.The US representative also called on the United Nations to deploy the first Formed Police Unit (FPU) within six months and appoint a civilian deputy head of mission within three months.He warned that the benchmarks should not be treated as formalities or delayed through half-measures, stressing that their implementation requires urgent and sustained action.Bartos said an operational police presence would help reduce crime, while the withdrawal of unauthorized forces would promote stability and limit the proliferation of weapons in the demilitarized zone.The US ambassador also expressed concern over China's abstention from the resolution, accusing Beijing of opposing the benchmarks imposed on Sudan and South Sudan and a shorter deployment timeline for its Formed Police Unit.He said China had registered a police unit under the UN's rapid deployment readiness system for nearly five years and had agreed to deploy it to any peacekeeping mission within 60 days of notification.Bartos argued that the six-month deployment period granted under the resolution was three times longer than that commitment, adding that Abyei could not afford further delays amid rising crime and the absence of its three authorized Formed Police Units.He urged China to honour its deployment commitment, noting that UN member states contribute financially to maintaining its rapid deployment readiness.Bartos concluded by commending UNISFA peacekeepers and troop- and police-contributing countries for their service under dangerous conditions.Photo Credit: International Crisis Group.
0 likes
