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STORY: UN / ABYEI
TRT: 02:39
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 14 MAY 2019, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
RECENT - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, UN headquarter
14 MAY 2019, NEW YORK CITY
2. Pan left, Security Council vote
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Cohen, Acting Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“The changes in this mandate are modest but they are important. Increasing the number of police in UNISFA while decreasing the number of peacekeepers helps to address criminality, the primary security concern in Abyei. Police forces trained to address law enforcement challenges are best equipped to support local residents. Adding a civilian Deputy Head of Mission expands UNISFA’s capacity to manage local level reconciliation efforts and to engage with the parties as they seek to address outstanding challenges.”
4. Wide shot, Council
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Omer Dahab Fadl Mohamed, Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations:
“UNISFA is a security force in nature which was deployed to carry out specific objectives on a temporary basis through a solely military component. This is what was agreed by all parties and adopted by this esteemed Council which has just adopted a resolution that abolishes one of the most important principles of UNISFA and peacekeeping operations by creating a position of Civilian Deputy Head of Mission, which is a violation of the 2011 agreement. Furthermore, the appointment of this Deputy without the approval of the parties is a violation of the main principle of peacekeeping, which requires the approval of the host country. As you know Abyei is part of the Sudanese territory, it has full sovereignty over it by virtue of the comprehensive peace agreement of 2005.”
6. Wide shot, Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Cecilia A. M. Adeng, Deputy Permanent Representative of South Sudan to the United Nations:
“The Interest of the Republic of South Sudan has been a clear plan for the status for the people of the Ngok Dinka which are clearly and well spelled in different Agreement and legal arbitration. Therefore, South Sudan urges the Council to support the parties in achieving the final status for the region. Mr. President, to conclude, once again, we would like to assure you that the Government of the Republic of South Sudan is committed to the implementation of the mandate and as such, Abyei remain our shared Sovereign Responsibility until the final status is determined.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
The Security Council today (14 May) adopted a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) for another six months.
Ambassador Jonathan Cohen of the United States, the penholder on UNISFA, told the Council that “the changes in this mandate are modest but they are important.
These include a reduction of the troop ceiling to 3,550 and raising the police ceiling to 640 an increase of 295 police, which Cohen said, “helps to address criminality, the primary security concern in Abyei.”
He said, “police forces trained to address law enforcement challenges are best equipped to support local residents.”
The resolution envisions the appointment of a civilian Deputy Head of Mission, which Cohen said, “expands UNISFA’s capacity to manage local level reconciliation efforts and to engage with the parties as they seek to address outstanding challenges.”
Sudan’s Ambassador, Omer Dahab Fadl Mohamed, told the Council “UNISFA is a security force in nature which was deployed to carry out specific objectives on a temporary basis through a solely military component.”
Mohamed said the resolution as adopted “abolishes one of the most important principles of UNISFA and peacekeeping operations by creating a position of Civilian Deputy Head of Mission, which is a violation of the 2011 agreement.”
Furthermore, he said, “the appointment of this Deputy without the approval of the parties is a violation of the main principle of peacekeeping, which requires the approval of the host country.”
He stressed that “Abyei is part of the Sudanese territory, it has full sovereignty over it by virtue of the comprehensive peace agreement of 2005.”
South Sudanese Ambassador Cecilia A. M. Adeng urged the Council “to support the parties in achieving the final status for the region.”
She said, “the Government of the Republic of South Sudan is committed to the implementation of the mandate and as such, Abyei remain our shared Sovereign Responsibility until the final status is determined.”
The Security Council authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping force to the disputed Abyei Area - which straddles northern and southern Sudan and has been claimed by both sides - on 27 June 2011.
The Council’s action came in response to the renewed violence, escalating tensions and population displacement in the Abyei region as Southern Sudan was preparing to formally declare its independence from the Sudan on 9 July 2011
