Relations between Sudan and South Sudan remain strained as the ongoing war in Sudan continues to obstruct progress toward resolving the status of Abyei, a disputed oil-rich border region. The conflict between Sudan’s national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023, has severely affected regional stability and hampered peace efforts. During a briefing to the UN Security Council, senior UN officials highlighted the worsening situation in Abyei and the challenges facing the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), whose mandate includes monitoring the redeployment of forces under the 2011 agreement.
Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, reported that the political process on Abyei has remained stalled since the outbreak of the Sudan war. Despite some attempts at dialogue, she said significant obstacles persist due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan and political uncertainty in South Sudan. Pobee noted that a recent strategic review of UNISFA emphasized the mission’s renewed political role and readiness to support both sides when talks resume.
UNISFA has documented an increased presence of RSF fighters and associated individuals in northern Abyei, leading to rising crime, particularly in Amiet Market, a vital trading hub for the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities. The expansion of the market has made it a flashpoint for intercommunal tensions, compounded by illegal checkpoints established by armed groups. Pobee said the mission is working to remove these actors and enforce Abyei’s demilitarized status, urging the immediate withdrawal of all armed forces and actors from the area, including South Sudanese security units stationed in southern Abyei.
She further described the operational environment in Kadugli, Sudan—where UNISFA’s logistics centre and the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism were based—as “untenable.” Intense fighting and targeted drone strikes by the RSF have jeopardized peacekeepers’ safety and disrupted air operations. The ongoing conflict has also worsened economic hardship and driven displacement in Abyei, increasing the humanitarian burden on the mission and aid partners.
UN Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Guang Cong, told the Council that the Sudan war is also destabilizing South Sudan. Cross-border movements of armed groups have heightened insecurity along the border, while attacks and disruptions to Sudan’s oil infrastructure have severely affected South Sudan’s oil exports—its main source of revenue—causing an estimated 25% contraction in its economy. Though production resumed earlier this year following new bilateral security arrangements, subsequent RSF attacks in May and August triggered oil spills, environmental damage, and emergency shutdowns.
Despite these challenges, both Sudan and South Sudan have recently expressed willingness to resume discussions on Abyei’s future. Last month, the two countries announced plans to reactivate cooperation agreements focused on security and economic collaboration. Pobee reaffirmed UNISFA’s commitment to supporting this process in close coordination with the African Union, which continues to play a central role in mediation. Cong also welcomed the renewed diplomatic efforts, stressing that sustained engagement and international support remain vital for advancing the Abyei peace process.
