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UNITED NATIONS/UNITED STATES: The UN Security Council on Friday renewed a peacekeeping mission in Abyei, a disputed oil-rich region between Sudan and South Sudan, but warned that future extensions depended on progress in ending the conflict.
The extension resolution for the peacekeeping force called UNISFA was prepared by the United States and prolongs the peacekeeping mission until November 2026.
The vote was 12-0, with Russia, China and Pakistan abstaining.
Clashes are frequent in Abyei. The UNISFA force is composed of 4,000 police and soldiers whose mission is to protect civilians.
The region’s status has remained unresolved since South Sudan gained independence and became a nation in 2011.
Sudan is in the grips of a vicious civil war.
Abyei is supposed to be a demilitarized zone but UN officials have voiced concern about the presence of South Sudanese forces, as well as Sudanese paramilitaries from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been engaged in a power struggle in Sudan since 2023.
Friday’s resolution says that the Security Council has the “intent” to consider further renewal of the mission based on “demonstrable progress” by Sudan and South Sudan, notably by creating a joint police force for Abyei and completely demilitarizing the region as the two sides agreed in 2011.
The resolution calls on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present a report by August 2026 on whatever progress the two countries make and assess what would happen if the peacekeeping force is reduced.
“These benchmarks will help describe the mission’s impact and provide a critical tool to hold host governments accountable for measurable progress,” said US representative Dorothy Shea.