Civil society organisations and traditional leaders from the disputed Abyei region have called on the United Nations to extend the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), warning that Sudan’s civil war and the unresolved final status of the area could trigger large-scale violence, according to an appeal seen by Radio Tamazuj.
In a letter dated April 29, 2026, addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the UN special envoy for the Horn of Africa, the groups said UNISFA’s continued presence was “critically important” to prevent a relapse into conflict and maintain stability.
“Without continued support and protection, the people of Abyei may face heightened insecurity, displacement, and disruption of their social and economic systems,” the letter said.
UNISFA was deployed to Abyei, a fertile and oil-rich region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, following deadly clashes in 2011. The mission has helped reduce tensions between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities and facilitate humanitarian access, the groups said. However, they warned that security patrols had weakened amid persistent threats from Misseriya militias.
The appeal outlined 11 grounds for extending the mandate, including the ongoing war in Sudan, which it said underscored the need for continued UNISFA deployment pending stability between the two countries, and the risk of large-scale violence, including possible atrocities against Abyei communities.
The signatories urged the UN Security Council to step up pressure on both Sudans to resolve Abyei’s final status, recognise a 2013 community referendum conducted by the Ngok Dinka community, and place oversight of oil fields in the Kec/Diffra area under international administration within the Abyei Box.
They also called for faster establishment of an Abyei police service and recommended that UNISFA troops operate under a unified military command structure from a single contributing country.
The letter was signed by Rose Monytoc Dau, Chan Mijak Dau and Apoul Ngor Agok on behalf of Abyei civil society organisations, alongside traditional leaders including Ngok Dinka Paramount Chief Bulabek Deng Kuol Arop.
The UN Security Council is expected to review the mission’s mandate in the coming months.
The United States has called for UN peacekeeping missions to “adapt or close,” warning against the routine renewal of long-running operations without political progress.
In recent remarks at the UN Security Council, Washington said the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) had operated for years with limited advancement on the disputed territory’s final status and accused Sudan and South Sudan of failing to meet key commitments. The U.S. said future mandate renewals should be “earned, not assumed,” adding pressure ahead of upcoming Security Council deliberations.
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