Please refer to the attached file.
COMMUNIQUÉ
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1108th meeting held on 29 September 2022, considering the political and security situation in the Abyei region:
The Peace and Security Council,
Recalling its previous decisions on the situation in the Abyei region, particularly, Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.2(DXXIX)] adopted at its 529th meeting held on 31 July 2015, and Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.(CMLXVI)] adopted at its 966th meeting held on 24 November 2020;
Noting the opening statement made by H.E. Ambassador Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ghana to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for September 2022, and the statement by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security;
Taking note of the statements by H.E Thabo Mbeki, former President of the Republic of South Africa and the Chairperson of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), H.E. Ambassador James Pitia Morgan, Permanent Representative of South Sudan and H.E. Hanna Tetteh, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa;
Further taking note of the briefings made by H.E Ambassador Mohamed Belaiche, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission to the Sudan and H.E Ambassador Prof. Joram Biswaro, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for South Sudan and Head of the AU Mission in South Sudan (AUMISS);
Reaffirming the AU solidarity with the Governments and peoples of South Sudan and Sudan in their aspirations and commitment to finding a lasting solution to the situation in Abyei Administrative Area; and,
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:
1. Condemns the violent confrontation in the Abyei Area Administration, destruction of property and the loss of life of civilians and urges the parties to the conflict to cease hostilities, exercise restraint and pursue an amicable resolution of contentious issues; and underscores the primacy of dialogue, truth and reconciliation to pave the way for healing processes in the whole of the Abyei area;
2. Commends the Governments of the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan, for their dedicated efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the political and security issues relating to the Abyei Administrative Area; and encourages them to continue to pursue dialogue for an amicable resolution of the impasse on the final status of Abyei;
3. Welcomes the renewed relationship between the Governments of South Sudan and the Sudan and their commitment towards good neighbourliness, and appeals to both countries to ensure that the remarkable positive relations trickle down to the grassroots to pave the way for a peaceful settlement of all outstanding issues;
4. Applauds the Chiefs, Elders, and People of the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities for exercising patience in the long search for lasting peace in the Abyei Area; and calls for collaboration amongst the region, continent, and the international community to assist the parties towards reaching a final and sustainable status of the Abyei Administrative Area;
5. Reiterates its appeal to the Parties to accelerate the implementation of the Agreement on Temporary Security and Administrative Arrangements for the Abyei Administrative Area, signed on 20 June 2011, particularly the finalization of the establishment of the Abyei Area Administration, the Abyei Area Council, and the Abyei Police Service, in order to facilitate the provision of essential services to the Abyei population;
6. Calls upon the parties to jointly and in a coordinated manner implement all the Agreements contained in the Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of the Sudan signed on 27 September 2012, especially the demarcation of the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone (SDBZ), to allow the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) to discharge its mandate effectively;
7. Urges all stakeholders to maintain the objective of organizing the referendum, in accordance with the 2011 Protocol, as a part of the overall objective of the stabilization process of the Abyei Area;
8. Expresses deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation evidenced by the displacement of the population, and lack of access to essential social services adding to the hardship in the Abyei Area; and encourages the Member States and the broader international community, particularly the humanitarian agencies, to provide the necessary support to the affected population, accord them dignity and alleviate suffering;
9. Strongly condemns attacks against the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), which impedes the peacekeeping force from facilitating the provision of, and access to, humanitarian assistance to communities in dire need and doubly affected by conflict and climate crisis and some of whom are facing food insecurity;
10. Commends the role of the United Nations (UN) through UNISFA that, despite various challenges, has continued to provide support to the JBVMM in its monitoring and verification activities along the border between Sudan and South Sudan; in the same vein, encourages the newly constituted multi-national contingents in UNISFA to relentlessly continue discharging its mandate to ensure the stability of the region;
11. Encourages the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to continue accompanying the two nations towards a peaceful resolution of the status of Abyei;
12. Reiterates the need to maintain the presence of UNISFA in order to continue maintaining peace and stability in the Abyei region, particularly along the border between Sudan and South Sudan; whilst welcoming the unanimous decision of the UN Security Council to extend the mandate of UNISFA until 15 November 2022 to promote international peace and security in the region, urges the UN to continue supporting the peacekeeping force pending the resolution of Abyei's status;
13. Expresses profound gratitude to the sustained efforts, over the years, by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Chaired by H.E. Thabo Mbeki, former President of the Republic of South Africa, for the sustained efforts over the years, which contributed to the stabilization of the Abyei Area; in this regard, requests the AU Commission to scale up the mobilization of the requisite resources to ensure the success of this undertaking aimed at negotiating solutions to the challenges in Abyei; and looks forward to receiving the comprehensive report of the activities of the AUHIP;
14. Expresses appreciation to the Government of Uganda and the leadership of H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, for mediating the conflict which erupted in May 2022 between the Misseriya and Dinka Ngok communities; and urges the Government of Uganda to continue monitoring the situation, and supporting the Governments of South Sudan and the Sudan to maintain the peace between the two communities;
15. Requests the AU Commission to undertake the following:
i. Nominate a facilitator for the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) and assist AJOC in carrying out its functions in accordance with the Agreement on the Temporary Arrangements on Security and Administration;
ii. Conduct, in cooperation with the two parties, a thorough analytical study of the recurring root causes and the triggers leading to protractible instability in the Abyei region, including developing an implementation matrix of the PSC decisions on Abyei, and brief the Council to guide further interventions;
iii. Spearhead the support for the socio-economic development of the Abyei Area through existing mechanisms, including the Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD); and in the same vein, coordinate AU's engagements with the AU international development institutions to jointly explore a common humanitarian and socio-economic scheme to support the Abyei Area, while the two Governments search for durable peace;
iv. Brief the Council biannually on the situation in Abyei;
16. Decides to undertake a solidarity field mission to the Abyei Area, in cooperation of the two Governments, with a view to engaging all stakeholders and obtaining first-hand information on the ground in order to inform the decisions of the Council on resolving the contentious issues and further enhancing the implementation of the agreements; and
17. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.