Sudan calls for activating joint mechanisms with South Sudan over disputed Abyei border region

Khartoum, South Sudan  | Xinhua | Sudan on Sunday called on South Sudan to activate the joint mechanisms between the two countries to achieve peace and stability in the disputed Abyei border region.

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, made the appeal when addressing the meeting of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) between Sudan and South Sudan here today.

Dagalo stressed the need for continued coordination and cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan for trust-building and exchanging of views on how to provide a solid basis for a final solution to the Abyei issue.

“Despite the critical conditions Sudan is passing through, convening this meeting was a priority given the sensitivity of the region’s issue and the suffering of the region’s population,” he said.

“The joint mechanisms must be activated together with creating a conducive environment to contribute to enhancing security, development and stability for the benefit of the communities in the region,” Dagalo said.

He urged the international community to provide more cooperation and to play a role that goes beyond humanitarian aid to the implementation of development projects in the region.

Sudan and South Sudan are disputing the oil-rich Abyei region on the border, which represents one of the biggest obstacles hindering the settlement of differences between the two countries.

In 2011, the UN Security Council established the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei to monitor the Abyei border. ■