AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321
Email: situationroom@africa-union.org
PRESS RELEASE
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Welcomes
The Outcomes of the African Union Joint Oversight (Abyei) Meetings
24 November 2017; The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), H.E. Moussa
Faki Mahamat welcomes the outcomes of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) which took
place in Addis Ababa, on 13 and 14 November 2017. The Chairperson welcomes the discussions that
focused on the ongoing political, security and humanitarian situation in Abyei and the understanding
reached on the need to develop ways and means of addressing these challenges.
The Chairperson notes with appreciation that both sides valued this meeting as it offered an
unparalleled opportunity for direct engagement on ways to provide oversight on security and
administrative matters in Abyei, working with the United Nations Interim Security Force Abyei
(UNISFA) and local communities. While underlining that the Abyei joint institutions, as envisaged in
the Agreement on the Security and Administration of Abyei, are essential to achieving peace in
Abyei, he regrets that, seven years after these institutions are not yet established. The
Chairperson urges the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan, to resolve this matter before the
next meeting of the AJOC.
The Chairperson also welcomes the convening of the first meeting of the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya
traditional leaders. He commends the Abyei Community Leaders for the conciliatory spirit with
which they conducted their meeting, especially as they discussed the report of the killing of Chief
Koul Deng Koul and other people in the Abyei area in May 2013. He further commends the Ngok
Dinka and Misseriya traditional chiefs for reaffirming their commitment to pursuing good relations
based on their long history of strong connections and peaceful co-existence. The Chairperson
strongly encourages the two sides to continue these productive interactions with a view to further
promoting and safeguarding the peaceful co-existence.
The Chairperson wishes to assure the Sudanese and South Sudanese parties that, through the
African Union high Level Implementation Panel, the AU Commission will continue to provide the
necessary support to ensure that they achieve peace, security and stability for their people.