The way out of the Abyei crisis

South Sudan President Salva Kiir is scheduled to visit the country on the 15^th of this month, to witness delivery of the first oil shipment to international markets from Port-Sudan and to hold talks with officials in Khartoum on unsettled post-secession issues.

The above is a positive gesture for opening channels of dialogue and communication between the two countries, following a similar visit made by President Al-Bashir to Juba last month.

But the visit also coincides with a new negative escalation represented by Abyei's latest incident in which a top Dinka tribal chief, an Ethiopian peacekeeper, as well as many others were killed during a “stand-off “between a group of Misseriya tribesmen and UN peacekeepers in the area, threatening recently improved relations between the two countries.

Such circumstances will doubtless undermine joint interests and bears the hazard of dragging the two countries back to square one, which should be avoided at all costs in the interest of resolving pending issues, including Abyei.

President Al-Bashir and his South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir were reported to be in touch over how to handle the crisis in Abyei, indicating that the two governments are keen to keep their relationship, which has improved vastly in recent weeks on track.

However, dealing with the consequences of this incident amongst both tribal groups will prove challenging, as feelings are running high.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry vowed that relevant authorities will conduct an urgent, comprehensive, transparent and just investigation into the incident, to hold the convicts accountable and bring them to justice.

The Foreign Ministry appealed, in a statement it issued following the incident, to all concerned parties to exercise utmost prudence and restraint in these painful circumstances, and renewed the commitment of the Government of Sudan to all agreements signed with the State of South Sudan, vowing to exert every possible efforts to implement them on the ground and complete the process of normalization and development of relations between the two sisterly countries and settle outstanding issues.

The Ministry noted that despite its severity, this isolated and unfortunate incident should not be allowed to reverse the progress made.

 Building constructive relations with Southern Sudan after separation is an issue that tops the country’s priorities in view of its vital importance in the short and long range.

The way out of the current situation therefore hinges greatly on the two governments’ actions springing from their responsibilities to their citizens.