AU calls for calm at the Sudan and South Sudan border

AU calls for calm at the Sudan and South Sudan border

The African Union (AU) has urged the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to exercise utmost restraint and to refrain from any act that may further aggravate the already tense situation at the border of both countries.

The call was contained in a statement by the Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Jean Ping, who expressed great concern over the fatal incident that occurred in the Yida Payam, Unity State of Southern Sudan, on November 10, 2011.

Upholding commitments

Ping pointed out that he had also been following the statements made by both the Government of the Republic of Sudan and the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, relating to the situation prevailing along the north‐south border.

The Chairperson of the Commission noted that in the communiqué issued after the inaugural State visit of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to the Republic of Sudan on  October 8 and 9 2011, both Governments reaffirmed their principled and commendable commitment to building strategic and permanent good‐neighbourly relations.

He further said that to that end, they agreed that neither country would permit any act of aggression against the other and that security units in both countries would investigate and take immediate action with regard to accusations the two countries have been levelling against each other.

Ping strongly appealed to the two Governments to live up to their commitment as stated in that communiqué and to utilize mechanisms such as the Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) to peacefully settle their differences, regardless of the nature of the problems that may arise.

Genuine cooperation

He stressed that only by way of genuine cooperation and resorting to peaceful means in dealing with those problems, would Sudan and South Sudan be capable of building two viable States, in the best interest of their brotherly peoples.

The Commission reiterated its resolve, especially through the continued engagement of the African Union High‐Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), whose mandate has recently been renewed by the Peace and Security Council (PSC), to assist the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan in addressing the various challenges they face.

PR/Williams