The Government of South Sudan has welcomed the establishment of new UN security arrangements for Abyei.
The UN Security Council yesterday passed a resolution setting up the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) made up of Ethiopian troops to be in charge of security in the region.GoSS spokesperson Barnaba Marial Benjamin told the press today that his government welcomed the UN decision to deploy Ethiopian forces in Abyei.
Dr. Marial explained that the Ethiopian peacekeepers have a clear mandate under the UN Charter Chapter Seven to protect UN staff, the delivery of humanitarian aid, civilians and disarm any unauthorized forces.
Dr. Marial said Khartoum wanted the peacekeeping force for Abyei to be from the African Union.
He added that the Ethiopian government volunteered to send a brigade to Abyei.
Dr. Marial explained that his government has been pressing for the UN peacekeepers in Sudan to be under Chapter Seven in order to be able to defend the civilians and themselves unlike UNMIS.
The 4,200 Ethiopian peacekeepers should deploy within two to three weeks in Abyei.