UN Security Council renews Abyei peacekeeping mission amid concerns
The UN Security Council on Friday renewed the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) for another year, despite concerns from several member states over the resolution's new language.
The US-authored resolution received 12 votes in favor and three abstentions from Russia, China, and Pakistan, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
US Deputy UN envoy Dorothy Shea highlighted that the updated mandate “aligns with the important goal of making sure missions are guided by clear benchmarks that track progress and ensure host countries are invested in the mission's success.”
The resolution introduces three key benchmarks:
Withdrawal of all unauthorized armed groups from Abyei.
Resumption of Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) meetings between Sudan and South Sudan.
Establishment of the Abyei Joint Security Police.
While the benchmarks aim to hold Sudan and South Sudan accountable, many Council members expressed concerns, arguing the measures could be overly prescriptive and challenge traditional practices. China’s Deputy UN envoy Sun Lei emphasized that adjustments to a mission’s mandate should consider local realities and stakeholder views.
Other member states, including Guyana, Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia, supported the resolution despite concerns, citing the critical importance of UNISFA’s presence in the oil-rich Abyei Administrative Area, which remains contested by both Sudan and South Sudan.
Russia and Slovenia criticized the process, noting limited negotiations and insufficient time to address differences. Russia’s Deputy UN envoy Anna Evstigneeva called the US approach “biased” and expressed regret that the resolution linked UNISFA’s future to the fulfillment of benchmarks by the two governments.
UNISFA has been deployed in Abyei since 2011, maintaining peace in a region long marked by territorial disputes and sporadic conflict.
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