New York, UN
Guang Cong, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa
Madam President,
Distinguished Members of the Security Council,
Thank you for the opportunity to brief the Council on the implementation of Resolution 2046, which addresses outstanding bilateral issues between Sudan and South Sudan, as well as the situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile States.
The conflict in Sudan continues to adversely affect political, security, economic and humanitarian relations between Sudan and South Sudan. The foremost challenge in Abyei today extends beyond local tensions. A major challenge is safeguarding the recently revitalised bilateral dialogue between Sudan and South Sudan from the conflict in Sudan and political pressures in South Sudan, as this process remains indispensable to preserving stability and advancing a political resolution to determine Abyei’s final status.
The 19 October drone attacks on Amiet market are the latest tragic consequence of the spillover from the conflict in Sudan. This was one of the deadliest incidents in Abyei’s history. I strongly condemn these attacks and express my sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wish the injured a speedy and full recovery.
I commend UNISFA for its prompt deployment and for taking immediate necessary measures in response to the situation. This incident is a stark reminder that the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan must uphold Abyei’s demilitarised status, prevent any further attack, and respect international humanitarian law. I urge prompt and independent investigation into the incident to establish the full facts and hold the perpetrators to account.
The drone attacks also compound Abyei’s already dire humanitarian situation, which is exacerbated by complex and interlinked challenges from the region. To date, more than 50,000 South Sudanese returnees, Sudanese refugees, and other asylum seekers have crossed into South Sudan through Abyei. Attacks on civilians have disrupted livelihoods, while food shortages, intensified by the impacts of El Niño, have further deepened the vulnerabilities of the local communities. Humanitarian partners sought to provide critical assistance in Abyei, including health services, food aid, livelihood support and emergency shelter. However, funding constraints severely limit their footprint and response capacity. Deadly attacks, such as the one in Amiet market, have left the scale of humanitarian needs far beyond the limited resources currently available.
The tripartite security arrangements among the SAF, RSF and SSPDF on the Heglig oil infrastructure continue to hold. However, the September drone attacks on a pipeline in South Kordofan carrying South Sudan’s oil demonstrate the vulnerability of oil infrastructure to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Madam President,
On 8 July, I attended the African Union Peace and Security Council session on the situation in Abyei. I briefed the Council on the need to insulate Abyei from the ongoing political and security crises in Sudan and South Sudan. I emphasised the importance of coordinated UN-AU-IGAD support to resume dialogue between Sudan and South Sudan. I also stressed the importance of progress on benchmarks related to UNISFA’s mandate renewal to avoid a security vacuum that would be detrimental to peace efforts.
To address tensions over the announcement of Abyei’s participation in South Sudan's upcoming elections, I met with senior government officials from both countries. I called on them to exercise restraint and resolve their differences amicably. I encouraged them to pursue dialogue toward a mutually acceptable understanding that would preserve cooperation between the two countries.
The differences over the constituency issue for elections have also contributed to tensions between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka communities. These tensions have been exacerbated by the spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech through online platforms, the alleged mobilization of proxy armed actors, and the potential cross-border spillover of insecurity.
Through joint coordinated efforts, UNMISS, UNISFA, and my Office worked closely with the Government of South Sudan and engaged with different national and local stakeholders to encourage de-escalation and promote dialogue. While these combined efforts have helped prevent further deterioration, the underlying drivers of the dispute remain unresolved, and the risk of renewed violence remains high. The Government of South Sudan must therefore prioritise preserving social cohesion and preventing intercommunal violence as it addresses the electoral issues.
Madam President,
As progress advances on the benchmarks for renewing UNISFA’s mandate, the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan have continued to reaffirm their commitment to preserving Abyei as a demilitarised, weapons-free area and to addressing outstanding issues through dialogue. However, tensions between the Twic Dinka and Ngok Dinka communities, as well as clashes involving Misseriya, Nuba and Ngok Dinka groups in and around the Amiet market in September, continued to impede stabilisation efforts. These developments, coupled with increased movements by the RSF, SSPDF, and other armed elements within the Abyei Box, threaten to undermine the efforts by UNISFA, the Abyei Area Special Administration, and traditional leaders to maintain the area’s demilitarised status.
The resumption of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) meeting in Juba in August, after a lengthy pause since 2023, marked an important step toward restoring bilateral dialogue and cooperation. The meeting reflected both countries’ renewed commitment to strengthening dialogue and coordination, particularly on cross-border challenges and shared security concerns. We welcome the positive momentum and renewed optimism this engagement has generated; however, the follow-on meeting scheduled for 20 October has now been postponed to 8 to 10 November.
Progress on broader political and institutional arrangements has remained limited. Key mechanisms envisaged under previous agreements, particularly the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC), have been inactive since 2017. In October, Sudan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs committed to supporting the AJOC mechanism after reports of a reshuffle and the appointment of a new Committee Co-Chair in September.
Meanwhile, the RSF’s interest in engaging in Abyei affairs and its parallel appointment of an AJOC Co-Chair in August remain outside the framework of the signed agreements and subsequent mechanisms between the two countries. My Office engaged officials of the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan on reactivating AJOC meetings. While both sides expressed willingness to engage, this has yet to translate into concrete action.
Madam President,
The resolution of Abyei’s final status, as envisaged under the Abyei Protocol of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, remains the most significant unresolved issue between Sudan and South Sudan. The process remains hampered by an apparent lack of genuine political will, influenced by their ongoing domestic security and political dynamics, a stalled Abyei referendum process, and divergent positions on joint administration and police, among other factors.
South Sudan’s High-Level Committee on Abyei’s final status has continued engaging with regional and international partners to seek support for revitalising the political process and resuming dialogue with Sudan to resolve the final status. In this regard, the appointment and activation of Sudan’s corresponding High-Level Committee on Abyei in September is a welcome development. The operationalisation of Sudan’s AJOC and High-Level Abyei Committee is encouraging.
I call on both Governments, with the support of regional and international partners, to strengthen and facilitate the work of the respective High-Level Committee in pursuit of an amicable and lasting resolution of Abyei’s future. I will continue to encourage both Governments to facilitate regular JPSM and AJOC meetings and intensify joint efforts towards implementing outstanding commitments, to create conducive conditions for meaningful negotiations on Abyei’s final status.
Madam President,
Civilians living in the Two Areas are deeply affected by the war in Sudan, as the wider Kordofan region has become an epicentre of fighting between the SAF and the RSF. The local population is facing increased insecurity with intensified fighting, including drone strikes in several localities. In South Kordofan, continued pressure around Kadugli and Dilling, along with the opening of eastern fronts, has impeded the delivery of basic goods. Damage to critical transport infrastructure, including the destruction of two bridges on the Kadugli–Dilling road, has constrained civilian movement and humanitarian access. In Blue Nile State, fighting around Kurmuk, Geissan and Bau has intensified amid shifting territorial control and clashes between the warring parties.
The simultaneous escalation across South Kordofan and Blue Nile State indicates an ongoing struggle to secure territory and consolidate control over border areas and supply lines. Hostilities could potentially expand further, particularly along the eastern fronts in South Kordofan and the Kurmuk border area in Blue Nile State.
The humanitarian consequences are increasingly severe. From January to September 2026, 99,277 people were reportedly displaced in Blue Nile State. Across the Kordofan States, 308,000 people have been reportedly displaced since October 2025. These displacements are compounding already limited access to essential services. Damage to healthcare facilities, water sources and transport infrastructure has further increased civilian vulnerability.
A settlement in South Kordofan and Blue Nile cannot be separated from a national political settlement and the establishment of governance arrangements that address longstanding centre-periphery grievances and power imbalances. Such arrangements should enable a more equitable allocation of resources to excluded communities and territories. Mediation efforts should work towards a political process that also provides an opportunity to address the long-standing status of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, which was initially addressed under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
In this regard, I will continue to support the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan, Mr. Pekka Haavisto, who is leading the UN’s efforts to help secure a cessation of hostilities in Sudan and establish a political transition process that addresses the root causes of the conflict, including in South Kordofan and Blue Nile States.
Madam President,
Distinguished Members of the Security Council,
The longer the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement and 2011 Temporary Arrangements remains outstanding, the greater the likelihood of further complexity through the population’s increasing despair and desperation, heightened inter-communal and inter-state fragilities, deteriorating cross-border security, and renewed violence in Abyei and the Two Areas. The attacks on the Kadugli camp and the Amiet market underscore the increasing nexus between conflict dynamics in Sudan and the resolution of Abyei’s final status. There is therefore the urgent need to redouble our collective diplomatic efforts to protect Abyei from being fully drawn into Sudan’s conflict ecosystem.
The positive momentum that was generated by the resumption of the JPSM meeting must be built upon and sustained. The Parties’ renewed engagement also underscores the importance of restoring political dialogue and revitalising existing bilateral mechanisms to address outstanding security, governance, and administrative issues in Abyei, while advancing efforts toward a mutually agreed settlement of its final status.
In this regard, I will continue to engage with the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to enhance their bilateral efforts and work with UNISFA and Abyei administrative and community leaders to progress the Abyei file. I will also continue to work collaboratively with the African Union, IGAD and other international partners in these endeavours.
Thank you for your attention.
