JUBA – South Sudan’s cabinet governance cluster has endorsed the disputed 2013 Abyei referendum, in which residents of the contested region overwhelmingly voted to join South Sudan. The move risks reigniting tensions with Sudan over the area’s unresolved status.
Abyei has remained a flashpoint between Sudan and South Sudan since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005.
The CPA granted Abyei residents, including the Arab Misseriya tribe, the right to decide whether to join South Sudan if the country voted for independence in 2011 or remain part of Sudan. However, the planned referendum under African Union supervision never took place.
In October 2013, the Ngok Dinka community unilaterally held a referendum, with 99.9% voting to join South Sudan. The results were not recognized by either Sudan or South Sudan.
Amid Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict since April 2023, some South Sudanese officials have renewed calls to assert control over Abyei. Vice President Taban Deng Gai recently advocated for South Sudan to act on Abyei’s status in the absence of a bilateral agreement.
On December 27, 2024, the Abyei Area Legislative Council (AALC) formally endorsed the 2013 referendum. The decision followed a recommendation from the South Sudan Governors’ Forum, which urged the council to take a stand on the matter.
Abyei’s Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement, Abionweng Majith Diing, told the council the endorsement aligned with recommendations from the 8th Governors’ Forum held in Juba between November 26 and December 2, 2024.
“The need for endorsement came as recommendations from the 8th Governors forum which was held from November 26th – December 2nd 2024, in Juba, that recommended that the Abyei Area Legislative Council (AALC), to officially endorse the results before the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA ) could endorse it and officially be recognized by the National government ( R-TGoNU) in Juba,” Diing said.
Abyei Chief Administrator Chol Deng Alak pledged to deliver the endorsed results to the national leadership promptly. He expressed confidence that the results would receive formal recognition.
“I will deliver the endorsed results to the Country’s higher authority without any delay, expressing optimism that the results will be officially recognized by the Country’s leadership,” he said.
During a meeting on Wednesday, the national governance cluster, chaired by First Vice President Riek Machar, endorsed the 2013 referendum following its presentation by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Ruben Madol Arol.
In a statement after the meeting, the governance cluster called on the government to engage regional and international actors to resolve Abyei’s final status. It urged the African Union, the United Nations, and other relevant bodies to recognize the referendum results as a foundation for determining Abyei’s future.
“The endorsed memos pertain to the operationalization of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing Act, 2024, and the Compensation and Reparation Authority Act, 2024, as well as the adoption process for the Abyei Ngok Community Referendum held on October 31, 2013,” the statement from Machar’s office read.
The Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing Act, 2024, and the Compensation and Reparation Authority Act, 2024, aim to address the consequences of past conflicts, foster national reconciliation, and establish mechanisms for reparations, including identifying eligible beneficiaries and securing funding.
