Yakani welcomes renewal of UNISFA mandate

JUBA – South Sudan activists and executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani has welcomed the decision by the United Nations Security Council to renew the mandate of UNISFA, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, for another six months.

The UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Abyei, a territory contested by Sudan and South Sudan, by six months, till Nov.15, 2022. Resolution 2630, which won the unanimous support of the 15 members of the Security Council, also decides to extend the peacekeeping mission’s mandate modification till Nov. 15, 2022.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post this afternoon, the CEPO welcomed the decision of the UNSC and urged the interim force to put more efforts in helping protect civilians following surge in killing against villagers from Arab Miseriya tribe despite the presence of the international peace-keeping force in the area.

“The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization welcomed the extension of UNISFA mandate by the UN Security Council,” Yakani said in the statement. “The renewal of UNISFA mandate by the UN Security Council is good and this time must work on prevention of civilians by UNISFA is required highly.”

“In the past days we observed commitment of human rights abuses by Misseriya against the Ngok Dinka. The UNISFA capacity for preventing occurrence of the deadly violence waged against the Ngok Dinka by the Misseriya is very low. UNISFA have to double efforts for adequate prevention of the civilians’ population in Abyei,” Yakani stressed.

He added that “Time has come for the UN Security Council members to ensure that UNISFA is effective on prevention of civilians. It is essential that UNISFA have strong conflict early warning system that is complemented by effective early responses system too. It is not logical that UNISFA could not prevent the Misseriya from waging deadly attacks on the Ngok Dinka. This time round UNISFA should effective on prevention of deadly violence in Abyei.”