By Yiep Joseph
A civil society activist has called on the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to embrace compromise to resolve the ongoing dispute over the status of Abyei, an oil-rich area claimed by both nations.
Despite ongoing discussions, the two countries continue to grapple with ownership issues regarding Abyei, which have remained contentious since South Sudan’s independence.
In commemoration of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed on January 9, 2005, Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), called for the need to finalize the status of Abyei as outlined in the CPA.
In a media statement marking the 20th CPA anniversary, Yakani reiterated that it is important to fulfil the remaining chapters of the agreement to ensure lasting peace and stability.
He urged both governments to prioritize dialogue and compromise to settle the Abyei issue.
“We are also aware that still we have outstanding issues the CPA mainly associated with the path of the destiny of Abyei which we wish that today the Juba and Khartoum should embrace the same culture of compromise to compromise on the status of Abyei,” Yakani said.
“We have issues of Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan still as outstanding issues of CPA” he added.
Yakani also called on the South Sudan government and the non-signatories to the 2018 peace agreement to embrace the spirit of compromise.
“I would like to use the history day of today (yesterday) where the culture of political compromise was embraced to appeal to the opposition parties that are non-signatory to the R-ARCISS to embrace the culture of compromise to interact with the government and also urged the government to embrace the culture of compromise” he said.
“We want to call upon the delegate from both the government and opposition to embrace the culture of political compromise” he added.
Recently the Abyei administrative Area assembly endorsed the 2013 referendum and later presented it to the first Vice President in Juba.
a delegation from Abyei Administrative Area, led by Chief Administrator Dr. Chol Deng Alak presented Abyei Referendum Endorsement Report to First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny as well as discussed, the Abyei protocol and its final status.
Abyei Administrative Assembly endorsed the referendum results on December 27, 2024. This endorsement was in accordance with the resolutions from the 8th Governor’s Forum held in Juba in December 2024 according to the official.
The Protocol between the government of Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLA/M on the Resolution of Abyei conflict and resulted to the establishment of Abyei Referendum Commission to conduct Abyei referendum simultaneously with the referendum of Southern Sudan.
The 9th of January, 2005, was the day on which the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed in Kenya, ending the longest war in Africa; however, disputes over the independence of South Sudan and the issue of Abyei remain areas of dispute till now.