Sudan, South Sudan Must Fully Implement Cooperation Agreements - Security
Council
24 August 2013
The United Nations Security Council today urged Sudan and South Sudan to
immediately implement a series of security and economic agreements and to
cooperate with the African Union (AU) to advance towards normalizing the
relations between the two countries.
Approving a presidential statement this afternoon, Council members expressed
grave concern over ongoing challenges to the implementation of the 27
September 2012 Agreements.
The agreements - signed in the Ethiopian capital under the auspices of the
African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIO) - include provisions
on security, the common border and economic relations aimed at enabling the
two nations to fulfil their obligations under a so-called roadmap for easing
tensions and facilitating the resumption of negotiations on post-secession
relations.
Since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in July 2011, the peace
between the two countries has been threatened by armed clashes along their
common border and outstanding post-independence issues that have yet to be
resolved, notably the status of the oil-rich area of Abyei.
In its statement, the Council recalled that resolution 2046 (2012) prohibits
both States from supporting any rebel groups operating against the other
State, following recent accusations by both sides of military support to
rebel groups in each other's territories, and welcomed the establishment and
the commencement of work of the Ad Hoc Investigative Mechanism (AIM) which
will look into such allegations.
The 15-member body also urged both Governments to maintain dialogue to
ensure continued transportation of oil from South Sudan, and called on the
Sudanese Government to suspend any actions that would halt the
transportation of oil from South Sudan.
Reiterating its concern about the highly volatile situation in the Abyei
area, the Council stressed that the parties "must immediately implement
pending aspects of the June 20, 2011 Agreement on Temporary Security and
Administrative Arrangements for the Abyei Area." It also called for swift
action to disarm communities there in accordance with the decision of the
Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) to turn Abyei into a weapons-free
zone.
In addition, members of the Council urged all parties to refrain from any
acts of violence against civilians, expedite safe and unhindered
humanitarian access and fully respect international human rights law,
emphasizing that "those responsible for violations of international
humanitarian law and violations and abuses of international human rights law
must be held accountable."