Produced by United Nations
Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee told the Security Council that the political environment in Abyei has remained “constrained by the conflicts in the Sudan and instability in South Sudan,” limiting progress by the two countries “towards resolving their disputes over the management of the Abyei territory and its final status.”
Pobee noted that the security environment “deteriorated over the past six months, mostly due to criminality, weapons proliferation and the presence of unauthorised armed actors, which have combined to create a complex and volatile threat environment.”
The Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), she said, “recorded 196 security incidents, with 58 fatalities and 69 injuries, marking a significant increase from the previous reporting period.”
Pobee noted that the mission continues to conduct robust patrols and rapid response operations, while also supporting weapons disposal, mine action and humanitarian access, adding that sustained engagement by the Council will remain essential to uphold the demilitarized status of Abyei and advance a durable political solution.
She said, “the immediate withdrawal of all unauthorised forces, including the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and the Rapid Support Forces from the Abyei area, remains essential.”
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