Ethiopia Confident Its Peace Force to Abyei Will Settle North-South Sudan Tension

Tesfa-Alem Tekle

30 June 2011

Addis Ababa — Ethiopia on Thursday affirmed that its peace keeping force which is about to be deployed to the contested Abyei region will effectively carry out its mission.

The UN Security Council earlier this week unanimously authorised the deployment of a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force to Sudan’s disputed Abyei region after the Khartoum government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) agreed in Addis Ababa on 20 June on temporary arrangements for the administration and security matters in the central region.

Abyei has recently been subject to conflict, with fears that the dispute between North and South Sudan may escalate into a return to civil war.

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the peace keeping mission is ready to carry out its duty and will exert maximum efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement for dispute.

“Ethiopia is a credible partner for both Sudanese so that based on their agreement Ethiopia will deploy one brigade – around 4,200 – troops to Abyei after both North and South Sudan fully withdraw their forces from the region” Speaking to the pro-government news agency, Walta Information Center (WIC), Ambassador Dina Mufti, Ethiopia Foreign Affairs Spokesperson said.

The Ethiopian force will maintain the buffer zone by shielding the region’s borders from the incursion of all unauthorised forces, as well as being responsible for supporting the Abyei police, protecting civilians from imminent threats, protecting monitoring teams, and facilitating and protecting bodies providing humanitarian assistance. It will also monitor and verify all activity within the troubled Abyei region

“The brigade will facilitate the establishment of Abyei’s interim administration and oversight committee to be drawn from both Sudanese” the Ethiopian ambassador said, adding “it will organise police force in Abyei from Dinga and misriya community”

Recent fighting in the Abyei region has reportedly forced thousands of people to displace and the agreement for an Ethiopian peace force to move in will allow for the return of all displaced people to their home.

Both Khartoum and Juba governments have commended Addis Ababa for the role it played in the peace process saying was a clear testimony of the country’s determination to peace in Sudan and to the region at large.

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