A delegation of the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly today concluded a two-day, inaugural visit to Abyei, underscoring the importance of engaging with key stakeholders to gain firsthand insight into UNISFA’s operational environment, mandate implementation, and the need for sustained support to deliver the mandate.
During the visit, the 25-member delegation engaged with the Mission leadership and visited the Mission’s Area of Operation in sectors South, North, and Center, where they interacted with peacekeepers and local leaders to obtain direct information and gain knowledge of UNISFA’s operational realities. The delegation was briefed on the operational environment, security situation, key challenges, and measures being undertaken to implement the mandate.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Eric Bjork, Vice Chair, Fifth Committee, noted the significance of the visit, which provided a general overview of the realities facing the mission amid the ongoing UN liquidity crisis and regional security challenges. “Our trip to Abyei was eye-opening, and we had very productive engagements. It was very important for the delegates to see the realities facing UNISFA on the ground and to hear directly from the local community, the Mission leadership and the peacekeepers who are doing everything to implement the Mission mandate. The breadth of the mission activities, as well as the needs and challenges will inform us during our deliberations in New York when we discuss the Mission budget in May and June later this year," he said.
In Abyei, the delegation met with the Administration and the nine Ngok Dinka Chiefdoms. They also visited Todach, where they engaged with members of the Joint Community Protection Committee and Joint Protection Committees (JPC) and visited the JPC Detention Cell at Amiet common market. The discussions focused on the security situation in the area, the rapid expansion of the Amiet Common Market due to the influx of internally displaced people and refugees from Sudan, and the resulting humanitarian and security implications. Other issues raised included funding and troop strength constraints, and the impact on the implementation of the mandate, and the need for road maintenance.
At the end of the visit, the delegation paid a courtesy call to convey condolences to the Bangladeshi Battalion who were recently evacuated from the UN logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan, following attacks that killed six peacekeepers and injured eight others in December last year.
The Fifth Committee is the General Assembly's Committee responsible for administrative and budgetary matters. Based on the Fifth Committee's reports, the General Assembly considers and approves the Organization's budget in accordance with Chapter IV, Article 17 of the Charter of the United Nations. This function was reaffirmed by the General Assembly in its resolution 45/248 B, Sect. VI
