A three-day conference of traditional leaders of the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities in the disputed area of Abyei has commenced today in Entebbe, Uganda.

The meeting, which brought together 15 participants each from Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities, is organized by the United Nations Interim Security for Abyei (UNISFA).

The joint conference is under the theme, “Peace through Dialogue.”

In his opening remarks, UNISFA Ag. Head of Mission and Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, said the three-day conference will enable the two communities to engage themselves in a frank discussion which will unravel the root causes of the conflict and together fashion a workable and sustainable solution.

He appealed to the traditional leaders to have an open mind and discuss with the objective of finding a lasting solution to the crisis in the area.

"Our discussions should not be conducted with a view to respond to one another, on the contrary, we must use our time together to understand each other's perspectives, desires, aspirations and fears," said Gen. Sawyerr, adding that international interventions must be understood as temporal in nature.

For her part, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Ms. Hannah Tetteh enjoined the participants to use their wisdom and the voices of the women to seek peace for the benefit of their children and families, adding that there cannot be any meaningful development where there is no peace and security.

The Ngok Dinka delegation is headed by their Paramount Chief, Bulabek Deng Kuol, while the Misseriya delegation is headed by El Sadig Hireka Izzal Din.

Abyei has been disputed since South Sudan obtained independence in 2011, while there have long been tensions between the Ngok Dinka community and the Misseriya nomads who traverse the area looking for grazing.

A 2005 peace deal requires Sudan and South Sudan to work out the final status of Abyei, but it remains unresolved.

In 2011, the UN Security Council deployed the peacekeeping force to the area after deadly clashes displaced thousands of people.