A Sudanese official on Saturday briefed the United Nations Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Guang Cong, on the efforts undertaken by the government to promote stability in the Abyei region, whose sovereignty is disputed between Khartoum and Juba.
The meeting came two days after a dispute between Khartoum and Juba at the UN Security Council, following the submission by the UN Secretary-General of a report on the situation in Abyei, which focused on elections and the presence of forces in the area.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Abu Zeid Shams El-Din, Chargé d’Affaires of Sudan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, held a meeting with Guang Cong.
The ministry indicated that the meeting addressed developments in Sudan, particularly the government’s efforts concerning the Abyei region. These included the resumption of meetings of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism, the formation of a high-level committee chaired by a member of the Sovereignty Council, and the appointment of a new head of the Joint Oversight Committee.
The two sides also discussed developments in the Horn of Africa and the importance of de-escalation, respect for international law, state sovereignty, and good-neighbourly relations.
According to the ministry, the UN envoy praised the steps taken by the Sudanese government and stressed the importance of dialogue and de-escalation as the most effective means of achieving stability in the region.
In a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday, Guang Cong said he had held meetings with senior government officials in Sudan and South Sudan to address tensions arising from the announcement that Abyei would participate in the elections.
He explained that disagreements over electoral constituencies had contributed to escalating tensions between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka communities. He added that the spread of misinformation and disinformation, hate speech across online platforms, and the alleged mobilisation of armed proxy groups were further aggravating these tensions.
He also warned that the increasing movements of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) units, the South Sudanese army, and other armed elements within the Abyei region threatened to undermine the efforts of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the region’s special administration, and traditional leaders to maintain its status as a demilitarised area.
