UN extends peacekeeping mission in disputed Abyei region for another year

The UN Security Council says further extensions would hinge connected existent advancement betwixt Sudan and South Sudan.

The United Nations Security Council has voted to renew a UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the peacekeeping ngo successful the oil-rich disputed portion betwixt Sudan and South Sudan, for different year.

A 12-0 ballot precocious connected Friday, which saw Russia, China and Pakistan abstain, extended the ngo until November 2026, but warned that advancement connected ending bloody warring successful the portion would beryllium important to immoderate imaginable aboriginal extensions.

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The United States submitted the draught solution that renewed the mandate, which was owed to expire connected November 15, and said it “negotiated this draught successful bully faith, asking lone for tenable and common-sense benchmarks for this mission”.

Friday’s solution stated that further renewal would beryllium based connected “demonstrable progress” by Sudan and South Sudan, including the instauration of a associated constabulary unit for Abyei and the implicit demilitarisation of the region, arsenic agreed upon by the 2 sides successful 2011 erstwhile South Sudan gained independence.

The 4,000 constabulary and soldiers of UNISFA are tasked with protecting civilians successful the portion plagued by predominant equipped clashes.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is present tasked with presenting a study by August 2026 connected whether Sudan and South Sudan person made immoderate tangible progress, which would besides alteration the Security Council to measure the consequences of reducing the peacekeeping force.

“These benchmarks volition assistance picture the mission’s interaction and supply a captious instrumentality to clasp big governments accountable for measurable progress,” said US typical Dorothy Shea.

UNISFA is simply a tiny but politically delicate mission, operating successful a portion wherever clashes person displaced thousands and humanitarian entree has often been constrained by a deficiency of information and unsafe roadworthy conditions.

Unrest successful the disputed country with South Sudan besides continues astatine a clip erstwhile Sudan is devastated by a civilian warfare that erupted successful April 2023, erstwhile 2 generals started warring implicit power of the country.

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which person been committing atrocities successful Darfur and different regions, person besides been progressive successful Abyei.