The UN Security Council held a meeting on the implementation of its Resolution 2046 on the outstanding bilateral issues between Sudan and South Sudan and the situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The Council was briefed by the UN Secretariat on the work of the UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei and recent developments there.
Martha Bobby, Assistant Secretary-General for African Affairs in the Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, began her briefing by stating that the war in Sudan continues to have a significant impact on the security, economic and humanitarian situation in Sudan and South Sudan, including in the so-called “Abyei box” area where the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) operates.
Hundreds of thousands of people have crossed the border from Sudan into South Sudan to escape the war. “Like South Sudanese citizens themselves, the refugees face difficult conditions without access to sufficient clean water, food, health and other necessary services,” she said.
Bobby reported that the movements of armed groups are exacerbating the fragile security situation in South Sudan and Abyei, especially in relation to the pre-existing tension between the Twic Mayardit and Ngok Dinka communities across Warrap State and Abyei.
Bobbi also touched on climate-related challenges that have further complicated the situation. She said that people in South Sudan, Sudan and Abyei were significantly affected by heavy rains and flooding during October and September. In Abyei alone, more than 18,000 people have been displaced, more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed, floods have destroyed crops and infrastructure and disrupted health and education services, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
Like other parts of Sudan, people in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states have been affected by the war between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 15, 2023.
The war remains a major source of instability in the Horn and Sahel regions with severe security, humanitarian and economic consequences for Sudan’s neighbors.
The full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2046 is impossible without resolving the conflict in Sudan, she said. “The impact of this war on the region requires a coordinated response from all relevant UN organs and international partners,” she said. The Office of the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa will continue to support the mediation efforts of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan in his quest to secure an early, achievable and sustainable ceasefire,” she said.
The office will also continue to support the stabilizing role of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan and the UN mission in Abyei, in collaboration with the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and other partners.
According to the UN official, there has been no progress this year on the Sudan-South Sudan dialogue on the final status of Abyei and border issues. She said the UN mission (UNISFA) will continue to monitor the situation and conditions that may be conducive to the resumption of talks.
The mission continues to focus on supporting stabilization on the ground in Abyei. Improved relations between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities have gained momentum, and the mission has not reported any recent clashes, the UN official said.
Another challenge Bobby spoke about is the continued presence of South Sudanese security personnel in southern Abyei. She said this deployment violates the 2011 agreement between Sudan and South Sudan on the administration and security of Abyei, and has led to repeated restrictions on UNISFA’s freedom of movement contrary to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
