Photo taken in Abyei (Source: Al-Jazeera) New York (VNA) – The United Nations Security Council on October 22held a meeting on the situation in Abyei, disputed between Sudan and SouthSudan, as well as the operation of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei(UNISFA), during which Vietnam and Indonesia expressed their hope that theparties involved solve the Abyei issue by peaceful means.
Addressing the event, Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, headof Indonesia’s permanent mission to the UN and also speaking on behalf ofVietnam, praised the signing of a recent peace agreement in the South Sudancapital city of Juba.
He expressed concern about ongoing inter-communal clashes aswell as the widespread humanitarian impact of COVID-19, and called for therapid deployment of the mandated United Nations police officers in Abyei.
Efforts should also be strengthened to enhance peacefuldialogues, he added, welcoming the continued engagement of regional organisations.
Indonesia and Vietnam stand together in condemning allattacks against peacekeepers in Abyei, he said, calling upon the parties tolend their full support to the UNISFA and advocating for the renewal of itsmandate.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping OperationsJean-Pierre Lacroix cautioned that little progress has been made on the issueof Abyei. Four recent attacks against UNISFA staff, and four instances ofinter-communal violence, were recently recorded.
Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Envoy for the Horn ofAfrica, said that the UN will continue working with the African Union andcountries in the region to boost peaceful solutions to Abyei.
On September 6, both Sudan and South Sudan declared tocontinue negotiations on the Abyei issue./.
VNA
