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JUBA - 18 Oct 2013

South Sudan calls for AU extraordinary summit on Abyei

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Sudan confirmed his country has requested the African Union to convene an extraordinary summit on the issue of Abyei “as soon as possible”. He expects the meeting will coincide with the scheduled visit of Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir to South Sudan next week.

In a press statement to the Ethiopian television on Wednesday, Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin disclosed his government recently submitted an official letter to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of African Union Commission, on this matter.

Marial called upon African leaders to “put pressure” on Al Bashir to accept that a referendum is held in Abyei in October. Meanwhile, the authorities in South Sudan have issued strong administrative instructions suspending all announcements and campaigns in support for Abyei referendum in October.

The Minister confirmed that President Bashir will visit Juba next week following an invitation by the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir.

File photo by Radio Tamazuj: Abyei