South Sudan claims that the Sudan turmoil has impacted the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee.

South Sudan stated on Friday that the political turmoil in neighboring Sudan has hampered the functions of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC), which the two nations agreed to restart lately.

In response to the escalating insecurity and intercommunal violence in the disputed territory, the Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM), which encourages security cooperation on shared boundaries, was resolved in Khartoum to restart AJOC meetings.

According to Kuol Deim Kuol, the South Sudan-appointed chief administrator for Abyei, the committee ceased its sessions after the fall of the previous state due to Sudan’s political turmoil.

“The situation in Sudan and the political turmoil in Khartoum has now consumed the whole focus of those responsible for dealing with the Abyei problem.” These issues have had a significant impact on the Joint Abyei Oversight Committee’s actions,” Kuol stated.

“The committee has never convened a single meeting in the previous two years, despite the fact that the government of the Republic of South Sudan has been talking to the African Union to guarantee the committee’s operations restart,” he said.

The committee, which was formed in 2011 after battles between the Sudanese army and the SPLA on the eve of South Sudan’s separation from Sudan, is portrayed as a crisis management group entrusted with overseeing the administration and taking responsibility for security matters.

The agreement establishing the committee mandates it to convene monthly and to receive reports, briefings, requests, and calls from members of the executive council.

The Abyei committee, according to Kuol, is crucial since it is in charge of political and administrative control of the executive council on behalf of the Sudanese and South Sudanese presidents.

“It is a critical mechanism since it submits reports and briefs the presidents.” It gives time guidelines and choices to assist the timely and successful execution of numerous agreements, as well as the development and maintenance of a stable and secure environment in Abyei,” he said.

The restoration of AJOC operations is one of a series of agreements between the two nations to open borders, improve security cooperation, and increase transborder commerce between local populations on both sides. To create joint governance in Abyei, the two nations must first construct local police.

These local administration institutions are opposed by the Ngok Dinka. Instead, they advocate for a referendum in the border area. However, Khartoum and Juba were unable to reach an agreement on who may vote in this critical referendum.

The growing collaboration between the governments frustrates the Ngok Dinka, who have lately been attacked by the Twic Dinka as a result of an ancient conflict over Anet, a region of South Sudan located between Abyei and Warrap.