UN official warns Security Council of rising armed activity, humanitarian strain in Abyei
November 06, 2025 | United Nations, Federal
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Mata Ama Akayapobe, a United Nations official, told the Security Council that the political process between Sudan and South Sudan over Abyei and border issues “remains stalled” since the April 2023 conflict, though both parties indicated in May a willingness to resume contacts with UN and African Union support. She described an escalation of armed actor presence and growing operational and humanitarian constraints for the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
UNISFA has reported an increased presence of Rapid Support Forces elements and other armed individuals in northern Abyei, the briefing said, contributing to higher crime and new flashpoints in the Amiat market and the establishment of illegal checkpoints. Mata Ama Akayapobe said armed actors have “arbitrarily arrested local residents, including community protection committee members and some officials appointed by Khartoum,” and reiterated “the call for the immediate withdrawal of all armed forces and other armed actors from Abyei in conformity with the weapon-free status of Abyei.”
The speaker reported localized fighting in southern Abyei, including clashes at Anthony Junction that killed several soldiers and led more than 100 civilians to seek refuge at a UNISFA base. She said the mission has engaged with armed actors to remove illegal checkpoints and prevent returns, and warned that fighting and a surge in targeted drone strikes have disrupted UNISFA air operations and made resupply to Kadugli unsafe.
Because of those security risks, headquarters functions for the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) have been relocated to Abyei and UNISFA is reducing its presence in Kadugli pending improved conditions and the necessary clearances from Sudan. The briefing urged the government of Sudan to provide support without delay to facilitate any temporary withdrawal from Kadugli.
Humanitarian partners face shrinking capacity, the briefing said: the Food and Agriculture Organization reportedly ceased operations in Abyei in July and the World Food Programme has reduced its footprint. That reduction, together with continued displacement and high levels of acute malnutrition among children, underscores the importance of the joint Abyei programme implemented by UN country teams in Sudan and South Sudan with programmatic support from UNISFA.
The liquidity situation across the United Nations has forced UNISFA to implement contingency measures to reduce expenditures by 15% for the current budget period, the briefing stated. The speaker warned this will reduce military and civilian personnel, shrink funds available for programmatic activities and strain mission support, and will limit the mission’s ability to carry out recommendations from a recent strategic review.
On rule-of-law and stabilization, Mata Ama Akayapobe said the most effective near-term step is the deployment of Security Council–authorized formed police units and the full contingent of individual police officers to the Amiat market area. She said United Nations Police continue to assist Community Protection Committees and the Joint Protection Committee, which provide local dispute-resolution and protection functions in the absence of an Abyei Police Service foreseen in the 2011 agreement.
The briefing highlighted community-level progress alongside persistent grievances: a post-migration conference in Todach in May–June led to an agreement between Ngoq Denka and Meseria representatives on reverse migration, and a June women’s conference with 132 participants produced an agreement to establish a joint women’s committee. Female representation at the May–June community conference was 41 percent, up from 36 percent at the December 2024 pre-migration conference.
Mata Ama Akayapobe thanked the acting head of mission and force commander, Major General Robert Yawafram, and UN uniformed and civilian personnel and country teams for their efforts, and asked the Security Council to consider continued support as the mission approaches a possible mandate extension. She said UNISFA and the Department of Peace Operations will work with host governments, local communities and troop-contributing countries to manage the contingency reductions.
No formal decisions or votes were recorded during the briefing.
UNISFA has reported an increased presence of Rapid Support Forces elements and other armed individuals in northern Abyei, the briefing said, contributing to higher crime and new flashpoints in the Amiat market and the establishment of illegal checkpoints. Mata Ama Akayapobe said armed actors have “arbitrarily arrested local residents, including community protection committee members and some officials appointed by Khartoum,” and reiterated “the call for the immediate withdrawal of all armed forces and other armed actors from Abyei in conformity with the weapon-free status of Abyei.”
The speaker reported localized fighting in southern Abyei, including clashes at Anthony Junction that killed several soldiers and led more than 100 civilians to seek refuge at a UNISFA base. She said the mission has engaged with armed actors to remove illegal checkpoints and prevent returns, and warned that fighting and a surge in targeted drone strikes have disrupted UNISFA air operations and made resupply to Kadugli unsafe.
Because of those security risks, headquarters functions for the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) have been relocated to Abyei and UNISFA is reducing its presence in Kadugli pending improved conditions and the necessary clearances from Sudan. The briefing urged the government of Sudan to provide support without delay to facilitate any temporary withdrawal from Kadugli.
Humanitarian partners face shrinking capacity, the briefing said: the Food and Agriculture Organization reportedly ceased operations in Abyei in July and the World Food Programme has reduced its footprint. That reduction, together with continued displacement and high levels of acute malnutrition among children, underscores the importance of the joint Abyei programme implemented by UN country teams in Sudan and South Sudan with programmatic support from UNISFA.
The liquidity situation across the United Nations has forced UNISFA to implement contingency measures to reduce expenditures by 15% for the current budget period, the briefing stated. The speaker warned this will reduce military and civilian personnel, shrink funds available for programmatic activities and strain mission support, and will limit the mission’s ability to carry out recommendations from a recent strategic review.
On rule-of-law and stabilization, Mata Ama Akayapobe said the most effective near-term step is the deployment of Security Council–authorized formed police units and the full contingent of individual police officers to the Amiat market area. She said United Nations Police continue to assist Community Protection Committees and the Joint Protection Committee, which provide local dispute-resolution and protection functions in the absence of an Abyei Police Service foreseen in the 2011 agreement.
The briefing highlighted community-level progress alongside persistent grievances: a post-migration conference in Todach in May–June led to an agreement between Ngoq Denka and Meseria representatives on reverse migration, and a June women’s conference with 132 participants produced an agreement to establish a joint women’s committee. Female representation at the May–June community conference was 41 percent, up from 36 percent at the December 2024 pre-migration conference.
Mata Ama Akayapobe thanked the acting head of mission and force commander, Major General Robert Yawafram, and UN uniformed and civilian personnel and country teams for their efforts, and asked the Security Council to consider continued support as the mission approaches a possible mandate extension. She said UNISFA and the Department of Peace Operations will work with host governments, local communities and troop-contributing countries to manage the contingency reductions.
No formal decisions or votes were recorded during the briefing.
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