SUDAN / Adel Abdelrahim / Anadolu

The Sudanese government announced on Monday its rejection of the decision by the South Sudan National Election Commission to adopt an electoral district that includes 'Abyei Administrative Area' within the geographical constituencies for the general elections scheduled for December 22, 2026.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry clarified in a statement that the South Sudan Election Commission adopted 102 geographical constituencies, including 12 in Warrap State, northwestern South Sudan, which include the disputed 'Abyei Administrative Area' between the two countries.

The statement added: 'The Government of Sudan announces its rejection of the Commission's decision, which explicitly violates the Abyei Protocol attached to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, and the Agreement on Temporary Administrative and Security Arrangements for the Abyei Area signed between the two countries in 2011, which paved the way for the issuance of UN Security Council Resolution 2046 in 2012.'

The resolution calls for negotiations between the two countries without preconditions to reach a final solution on the status of Abyei.

The Sudanese government affirmed that the protocols and agreements on Abyei are the primary legal references for any dealing related to the region, noting that it has remained committed to these references.

It called on the South Sudanese government to fulfill all legal obligations stipulated in the agreements signed between the two countries, and to adhere to a peaceful solution for the final status of Abyei, in a way that preserves peace and security and serves bilateral relations.

It also called on the United Nations, international and regional organizations, and countries sponsoring the agreements on Abyei to work on implementing what has been agreed upon, and to reject any unilateral steps outside the legal frameworks.

The Sudanese government reiterated its commitment to good neighborly relations with South Sudan, while adhering to its legal rights according to the protocols and agreements signed between the two sides.

It is noteworthy that the oil-rich Abyei region obtained a special status within the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed on September 25, 2003, and is considered a bridge between northern and southern Sudan, inhabited by the Arab Misseriya tribes in the north and the African Dinka tribes in the south.