Chinese envoy says maintaining peace, stability in Abyei top priority

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The preservation of peace and stability in Abyei remains of paramount importance, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Monday.

"Maintaining peace and stability in Abyei is a top priority," Dai told the UN Security Council briefing on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), noting that China hopes Sudan will cease fire as soon as possible and resume dialogue with South Sudan, to relaunch the political process in the region.

"For quite some time now, the volatile situation in Sudan has affected the political process in the region. We appreciate and support the efforts of the UN, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in this area, and call on the parties concerned to provide security guarantees for the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism," said the envoy.

Dai said that the recent increase in the number of returnees and displaced persons in Abyei has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the area. "China appreciates humanitarian actions by the UN country team and calls on the international community, especially traditional donors, to maintain their efforts to provide assistance in order to avoid a greater humanitarian crisis."

The representative noted that it is the consensus of the international community that a political solution must be found to the Abyei issue. "It requires the joint efforts of the Sudan and South Sudan as well as the attention and support of the Council."

On the inter-communal relations, Dai said that the relations are "the key to lasting peace and security in Abyei."

"China notes the decrease in violence in the reporting period and welcomes the efforts made by the government of South Sudan to alleviate inter-communal conflicts. At the same time, scarce resources for development remain one of the root causes of violent conflicts. Inter-communal violence, triggered by competition for means of production and daily necessities, occurs from time to time," Dai said.

"China hopes that the UN will step up its peacebuilding efforts in the region and help the people improve the situation. We encourage the tribes in the region to implement the consensus reached at the Transhumance Corridors Conference, so as to ease tensions and realize harmonious coexistence," the envoy added.

Turning to the UNISFA mandate, Dai said that China appreciates the important role played by UNISFA in maintaining stability in Abyei, promoting political process, and resolving inter-communal conflicts.

"For some time now, UNISFA has been facing considerable difficulties in terms of logistics support. China calls on the UN Secretariat to strengthen cooperation with countries in the region to expedite the provision of logistical support to UNISFA as soon as possible," he said.

He further stressed that China calls on the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to facilitate UNISFA's implementation of its mandate, adding that UNISFA must make every effort to minimize the security risks faced by peacekeepers.

"As a troop-contributing country to UNISFA, China will continue to contribute to peace and security in the region," he said.