Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al Bashir has pledged to link the contested area of Abyei between Sudan and South Sudan with a road network as well as the provision of basic services as soon as possible.
This announcement came during a public address as part of his campaigning for elections in El Fula town in West Kordofan on Thursday.
Bashir said Abyei area is Sudanese territory. He further vowed to crush the rebellion so that peace is realized in West Kordofan, while criticizing the SPLA-North rebels fighting the government since 2011.
The rebels are fighting a proxy war, according to the Sudanese leader. He called on the youths fighting for the SPLA-North rebels to return back and join peace efforts in the state.
In February, Sudan’s First Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh also announced plans by his government to support development projects and peace efforts in the contested Abyei Area.
This came after a meeting with the co-chair of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) Hassan Ali Nemir.