STATEMENT BY MARTHA AMA AKYAA POBEE, SPECIAL REREPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING
New York
09 MAY 2023
I thank members for the opportunity to brief the Security Council on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and the mission’s support to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM). I take this opportunity to update the Council on some of the most recent developments since the publication of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/305), including those related to the outbreak of hostilities in the Sudan.
The outbreak of fighting in the Sudan on 15 April capped off a reporting period marked by encouraging signs of engagement between the Sudan and South Sudan on the Abyei issue. Of significance in that regard was a meeting between the President of South Sudan and the Chairperson of the Sovereign Council of the Sudan in Juba in January, at which they discussed Abyei and possible cooperation on their shared border. At a meeting between the chairpersons of the national committees of the two countries, convened on 9 and 10 April in Khartoum, the parties agreed to continue discussing issues related to Abyei, including the final status. I welcome those positive developments and commend the parties for their willingness to engage.
Despite the positive momentum created earlier in the reporting period, the outbreak of violence in the Sudan may deeply impact the chance for political progress on Abyei and border issues. With fighting ongoing and mediation efforts under way, the United Nations will continue to support the Sudan and South Sudan when dialogue on Abyei resumes. Special Envoy Tetteh, who will brief the Council today, will provide members with a more comprehensive update on developments related to the Sudan and South Sudan.
In Abyei, UNISFA is monitoring the potential impact of the fighting in the Sudan, such as an influx of displaced persons, the entry of armed groups into the Area or the emboldening of spoilers in local intercommunal relations. While none of those risks have materialized in a major way so far, the mission remains alert to their possibility. More immediately, UNISFA has already taken steps to protect the safety of its personnel in the Sudan, with the evacuation of 33 personnel from Khartoum on 23 April. On 2 and 3 May, 58 United Nations civilian personnel were evacuated from Kadugli, following a decision by the designated official for the Sudan.
Despite the cessation of hostilities agreement signed between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka in April 2022, intermittent clashes continued to take place in southern Abyei, with reports of incidents on the opposite side of the southern boundary. The tensions also led to protests within the UNISFA headquarters demanding the removal of Twic Dinka contracted staff, compelling the mission to provide physical security for those individuals.
UNISFA continued to support efforts led by the Government of South Sudan to reduce tensions between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka communities, in close coordination with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Those efforts included a civil-society-led dialogue conducted in Wau in April. Although the dialogue did not result in a formal agreement being signed, it did produce agreement in principle on a cessation of hostilities. The outbreaks of violence between the two communities in Abyei have since become less frequent. A related concern is the proliferation of weapons, particularly in southern Abyei, which has coincided with the emergence of the Ngok Dinka youth self-defence group known as Tit Baai, which was formed after clashes began between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka in February 2022. UNISFA continues to confiscate weapons and ammunition, in keeping with Abyei’s weapon-free status.
Despite the continued trust deficit between the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities, the violence between them declined overall. UNISFA and its partners were able to convene a seasonal peace conference in Todach, inside the Abyei Area, in March. In an agreement signed at the meeting, the communities agreed on a cessation of hostilities and on ensuring freedom of movement, among other measures aimed at peaceful coexistence. Women from both communities participated and presented recommendations that helped inform the agreement.
The humanitarian environment in Abyei remained challenging, with United Nations and non-governmental organizations aiding some 212,000 vulnerable people in Abyei, including roughly 30,000 internally displaced. Intercommunal violence affected humanitarian efforts, with some organizations withdrawing from the Agok area in February and two aid workers killed in an attack in Rumamier on 2 January. The recent outbreak of fighting in the Sudan risks further complicating the humanitarian situation in Abyei. As of 8 May, a total of 535 people from the Sudan have been recorded as arriving in the Area. Humanitarian partners are anticipating and preparing for more population movements.
The reconfiguration of UNISFA into a United Nations multinational peacekeeping force is in its final stages. Of the 3,250 military personnel authorized, 3,078 have deployed. Again, the fighting in the Sudan has disrupted deployment routes, meaning that the scheduled arrival of additional personnel and equipment will have to be postponed, which will affect force capacity. Planning is currently under way on alternative arrangements that can minimize the delay while safeguarding the security of personnel and equipment. The situation in the Sudan has also impacted UNISFA’s logistics. Our mission support colleagues are working to secure the reliable resupply of goods. That includes logistics for the headquarters of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism in Kadugli, in the Sudan, and its two team sites, where restrictions on air and ground movement have created additional challenges for resupply as well as the implementation of mandates.
UNISFA continues to face challenges related to force mobility, particularly during the rainy season, which severely restricts ground movement. At the same time, no progress has been made regarding the re-operationalization of the Verification and Monitoring Mechanism’s Sector 1 headquarters in Gok Machar, South Sudan, and its two team sites, following its forced withdrawal in 2021. We note the call of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism on 18 January for a strategy to sensitize the communities along the border, including in Gok Machar, and urge the Government of South Sudan to take the necessary steps to enable the re-establishment of those locations as soon as possible. Due to the non-issuance of visas, there has been no progress on the deployment of the three formed police units and additional individual police officers mandated by the Security Council. In the meantime, United Nations police continued to assist and monitor the community protection and joint protection committees. Needless to say, it is now more critical than ever to provide rule-of-law support to the people of Abyei, and we count on the Security Council to lend its valuable support on that issue.
During the period under review, UNISFA reported the deployment of South Sudanese military and police personnel in Agok, in southern Abyei, and Sudanese national police in Farouk, in northern Abyei. The mission sent notes verbales to both Governments requesting them to remove their security personnel in line with Abyei’s demilitarized status.
I am pleased to report that the United Nations country teams in the Sudan and South Sudan, in collaboration with UNISFA, finalized the administrative arrangements for the Abyei joint programme and began the implementation of projects to create an environment conducive to peaceful coexistence. The first projects include the establishment of a nutrition centre in Amiet market for women and children and the provision of vocational training for young people.
In conclusion, I would like to thank Major General Benjamin Sawyerr and the women and men of UNISFA for their work in the service of peace in Abyei, particularly at a time marked by additional challenges and uncertainty. I would also like to express our appreciation to the troop- and police-contributing countries for their close collaboration and to the members of the Security Council for their continued support to UNISFA.