The border region of Abyei has been contested since South Sudan gained independence in 2011.

The administrative government in the disputed Abyei area is appealing to the South Sudan government to endorse the outcome of the October 2013 referendum in which 99 percent of the Ngok Dinka voted to be part of South Sudan.

Although South Sudan designates Abyei as one of its three administrative areas, the region has been contested by Sudan and South Sudan since 2011 when the two nations separated after 21 years of civil war.

Abyei is the traditional homeland of the Ngok Dinka, but herders linked to the northern nomadic Arab tribe of Misseriya seasonally cross to Abyei with their cattle in search of water and pasture in the dry season and to trade goods.

In 1972, at the end of Sudan’s first civil war, the Addis Ababa Agreement promised residents of Abyei the right to hold a referendum to determine whether they would remain a part of northern Sudan or join the newly formed southern region.

However, in 1983, Sudan descended into another civil war after President Jaafar Nimeiri refused to implement the agreement and allow Abyei to hold its referendum.

The war ended after signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, which included the Abyei Protocol stipulating that the region would remain under special administrative status.

The region was said to hold a status referendum to allow its residents to determine whether Abyei would become part of Sudan or South Sudan.

In October 2013, the Ngok Dinka held the referendum in which they overwhelmingly voted for Abyei to be part of South Sudan, but the result was not recognized by either Sudan or South Sudan.

Addressing the 8^th Governors Forum in Juba on Wedneday, Deng Arop Mading, the Deputy Chief Administrator appealed to the South Sudan government to endorse the referendum result that gives Abyei to South Sudan.

Mading also asked the government to scale up effort in addressing tribal conflict between communities the disputed Abyei.

“We appeal for the endorsement of the Abyei Community Referendum of 31^st October 2013. We urge the government of South Sudan to implement the Council of States recommendations of the Ngok-Dinka and Twic conflict,” he said.

“We also urge the government of South Sudan to exert pressure on the United Nations Security Council to appoint a civilian head of mission to UNISFA.”

In March 2020, the National Dialogue Steering Committee passed a resolution calling on the governments of South Sudan and Sudan to recognize the results of the Abyei referendum.

In 2019, President Salva Kiir entrusted Deng Alor with the Abyei area dossier, to follow up on the resolution of the final status of the region.