Juba, South Sudan, 27 May 2021 – The Transitional Government of Sudan has welcomed the move by South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit of setting up a committee to engage in and oversee the resolution on the status of Abyei.
This comes Kiir Mayardit issued a presidential decree two days ago appointing an ad hoc committee to engage in talks with the Sudanese Transitional Government on the status of the contested Abyei Administrative Area.
The formation of the committee comes a week after armed militia Messiriya allegedly backed by the Sudanese army carried out an atrocious act that left 12 civilians killed and injured several others in Abyei.
The committee comprised of 10 dignitaries headed by Tutkew Gatluak, Presidential Advisor for security affairs.
It is expected to initiate talks with Sudanese counterparts on the matter of Abyei so that a peaceful solution is possibly achieved. Meanwhile, the committee is also expected to update President Kiir monthly on progress made.
The government of Sudan applauded the committee through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the auspices of Mariam Sadiq El-Mahdi.
In a televised address on Tuesday in Juba, Mahdi said borders are the basis for real economic, social, and political integration adding that they must be no wrangling over such areas.
“We have to address the issue…in order to achieve the goal of one people in two countries, and how we can work together,” Mahdi said.
President Kiir instructed the committee to negotiate with Khartoum in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the two countries in 2005.
Abyei is a disputed Area contested by Messiriya Nomads and Ngok Dinka for many years. inter-communal fighting between two rivaling tribes has led to many civilian deaths in the last decade.
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement granted Abyei citizens the right to determine their fate through a universal plebiscite. In 2013, the Abyei populace conducted a unilateral referendum where 99.8% of the population voted in favor of the annexation of Abyei to the Northern part of Bhar el Ghazal in South Sudan
But despite all these efforts, both governments of Sudan and South Sudan rejected to acknowledge the outcome with reasons best known to them.
