Conflict Resolution in South Sudan

Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution in Sudan and South Sudan in 2013 (Continuation)

United States views on international law [1] in relation to Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution in Sudan and South Sudan: Tensions worsened in Sudan and South Sudan as 2013 went on. On June 14, 2013, the troika issued another joint statement, excerpted below and available at (Secretary of State website) state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/06/210637.htm.

More about Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution in Sudan and South Sudan

We are deeply concerned at the heightened tension between the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan. We call on both governments to comply fully with all of their September 27 agreements, including ceasing any support to rebel movements in each other's territories and withdrawing their forces fully from the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone. The Government of Sudan's announcement that it intends to stop the flow of South Sudanese oil transported via Sudan's pipeline is in contravention of these agreements. We urge the Government of Sudan to reconsider its position and call on both governments to continue constructive dialogue on implementation of these agreements, especially on oil and security.

Development

The Troika reminds both sides of the commitment they made to a peaceful resolution of their disputes in signing the Addis Ababa agreements on 27 September 2012 and calls on them to cease their increasingly hostile rhetoric. Full implementation of all agreements, without conditionality, as well as progress on unresolved issues such as Abyei, presents the best path toward realizing these goals. We call on both governments to cease any interference in the internal affairs of the other state. In particular, we condemn any military support being provided to rebel movements in Sudan or South Sudan. Such support is clearly in breach of both the spirit and the letter of the Addis agreements and should end immediately.

Details

We remind both governments that they committed under the Addis agreements to withdraw forces fully from the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone consistent with the African Union map which they have both accepted, and as called for by UN Security Council Resolution 2046. The UN Security Council has made a substantive commitment to support border security arrangements, by increasing the force levels of the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei for its participation in the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism. We urge both governments to resolve their concerns through the Joint Political Security Mechanism, the Petroleum Monitoring Committee and the other established bilateral mechanisms.

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Abandoning internationally-supported security mechanisms and unilaterally shutting down oil will have serious implications for the viability of both states. We call on the two governments to recover their spirit of cooperation exhibited in past months and to commit to overcoming their differences. President Mbeki and the AU High-Level Implementation Panel have now proposed to the Heads of State practical measures to help the parties honor the commitments that they have already made to each other. The Troika supports these next steps as the only viable way forward and repeats our rejection of unilateral actions in word or deed that would damage our collective goal of lasting peace.

Resources

Notes

1. Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution in Sudan and South Sudan in the Digest of United States Practice in International Law