By Matik Kueth
A civil society activist on Tuesday urged Sudan and South Sudan to pursue peaceful and internationally recognized mechanisms to resolve the disputed Abyei region after Khartoum rejected Juba’s decision to include the territory in its December 2026 upcoming general elections.
Sudan on Sunday objected to South Sudan’s inclusion of the disputed Abyei Administrative Area as one of its electoral constituencies, saying the move violates agreements governing the territory’s final status.
Ter Manyang Gatwech, Executive Director of the Nile Institute for Human Rights Studies (NIHRS), cautioned that unilateral actions by either country could further complicate efforts to resolve one of the most contentious issues between the two countries.
“The Abyei issue cannot be resolved through political statements or unilateral decisions by either side,” Manyang said.
He added, “Sudan and South Sudan must return to the negotiating table and commit themselves to internationally recognized mechanisms that can deliver a peaceful and lasting settlement.”
According to a statement published by the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that South Sudan’s decision contravenes the 2005 Abyei Protocol and the 2011 Agreement on Temporary Security and Administrative Arrangements, which require both countries to determine Abyei’s final status jointly.
Khartoum said the agreements, reaffirmed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2046 (2012), prohibit either side from taking unilateral measures that could influence the future of the disputed territory.
It also called on the United Nations, regional organizations, and international partners to support the implementation of the agreements governing Abyei.
Manyang stressed that both governments should prioritize peaceful options, including implementing relevant international resolutions, engaging in impartial arbitration or organizing a credible referendum under the supervision of a neutral international body.
“The people of Abyei have waited for far too long to determine their future. A transparent process, accepted by all parties and supported by the international community, is essential to ensuring justice and lasting peace in the region,” he stated.
According to him, a peaceful settlement of the dispute would not only safeguard the rights and interests of the people of Abyei but also contribute to stability in the region.
“A peaceful resolution of the Abyei question would strengthen relations between Sudan and South Sudan, promote regional stability and protect the rights of the people living in Abyei. What is needed now is political will and genuine commitment from both governments and the international community,” he emphasized.
Abyei remains one of the most sensitive and unresolved issues between Sudan and South Sudan. Under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, residents of the territory were to vote in a referendum to decide whether Abyei would join Sudan or South Sudan.
However, disagreements over voter eligibility and administrative arrangements have repeatedly delayed the vote, leaving the area’s final status unresolved.
The region has periodically witnessed violence and displacement despite the deployment of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), and the unresolved status of the territory continues to be a source of diplomatic friction between Juba and Khartoum.
He further appealed to both countries to seize the current moment to revive dialogue and intensify efforts toward a just, durable and peaceful resolution to the decades-long dispute.