Media Home
UN Web TV
UN PhotoSecurity Council
8357th Security Council Meeting: Reports of Secretary-General on Sudan and South Sudan
Speakers in the Security Council today said a relatively stable security situation in Abyei makes it time to consider adjustments to the United Nations peacekeeping force there. Many stressed, however, that changes to its composition and mission must be preceded by thorough consultations with Khartoum and Juba.
With the mandate of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) up for renewal on 15 October, the Council discussed the Secretary‑General’s recommendations — contained in a letter dated 23 August — for adjusting its composition to the current realities on the ground.
[Through its resolution 2412 (2018), unanimously adopted on 23 April, the Council made the renewal of UNISFA’s mandate conditional to progress by the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan on a set of benchmarks related to border demarcation. At the same time, it kept the Force’s authorized troop ceiling at 4,791, decreasing to 4,250 after 15 October unless the Council extends its mandate modification.]
Jean‑Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said that, despite only partial fulfilment of the benchmarks, the past few months saw several positive developments in relations between Sudan and South Sudan. He urged the Council to consider the Secretary‑General’s recommendations for UNISFA as the Force supports the two Governments in implementing the two temporary agreements that form the basis of its mandate: the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement on temporary arrangements for the administration and security of the Abyei Area of 20 June 2011 and the Agreement on the Border Monitoring Support Mission between the Government of the Sudan and the Government of South Sudan of 30 July 2011.
Outlining the key elements of the proposed adjustment, he said UNISFA troops will be transferred from the Abyei Area to enable the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism — a vital part of the framework that regulates the relations between Sudan and South Sudan — to achieve full operating capability. Three formed police units and additional specialized police officers will meanwhile be deployed in the Abyei Area in response to growing criminality.
Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary‑General’s Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, briefing the Council for the last time before taking up his new appointment as Special Envoy for Somalia, said regional developments — including Ethiopia‑Eritrea rapprochement and peer pressure to deal with conflicts to boost development, economic integration and security — have given rise to hope. Khartoum’s efforts to mediate in the conflict in South Sudan is another positive factor, he added. On UNISFA, he said the provision of political depth to the Force will enable it to better manage intercommunal relations pending a final solution.
In the ensuing discussion, the representative of Ethiopia — the principal troop‑contributing country to UNISFA — said stability in Abyei hinges on the Force’s presence. In that regard, he said transferring troops from the Abyei box to the Mechanism is “not the right approach”. He also cautioned against the deployment of police forces at the expense of troop levels. Recalling that “consent of concerned parties is a basic principle of peacekeeping”, he called for full engagement with all relevant stakeholders, particularly the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan.
Kuwait’s delegate, describing UNISFA as “one of the best United Nations peacekeeping missions”, said the renewal of its mandate should be in line with its role and achievements. Technical issues such as troop strength can be discussed by Council members in the coming weeks. Commending the current positive state of relations between Sudan and South Sudan, he insisted that future steps should be based on consultations with the two countries.
The representative of China, stressing that a political solution is the only way forward in Abyei, said the international community should help Sudan and South Sudan to develop good‑neighbourly relations and strengthen pragmatic cooperation, with the African Union and other regional organizations remaining the principal channels for mediation. Noting the Secretary‑General’s recommendations, he said the Secretariat should coordinate with the two Governments, African Union and the Force’s troop‑contributing countries and fully heed their views.
The United States’ representative said the time has come to reconfigure the Force to reflect conditions on the ground. However, while the Secretary‑General’s recommendations are a good start, they do not go far enough, he said, proposing a reduction in overall uniformed personnel. Urging the African Union to continue its mediation efforts, he said the United Nations must apply its scarce resources to the tasks at hand and question whether those tasks are necessary. Peacekeeping operations must have exit strategies, he emphasized.
The representative of South Sudan, welcoming the Force’s success in recent years — particularly in averting further confrontation — said proposed adjustments to its mandate will “add more dimensions to a sustainable peace across border and between communities” in Abyei. He expressed support for keeping the Force, while enhancing its police element.
However, Sudan’s representative rejected the Secretary‑General’s recommendations, which he said ran counter to the 2011 agreement and the negotiated arrangements. In fact, the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan must approve any changes to those arrangements, he emphasized, adding that a holistic approach is needed to address the latest developments on the ground, and that his Government will continue to work with UNISFA to fulfil its mission.
Also speaking today were representatives of Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Bolivia, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Poland, China, Peru, Equatorial Guinea, United Kingdom and Russian Federation.
The meeting began at 10:05 a.m. and ended at 11:44 a.m.
