Peacekeepers assess damages caused by an armed attack on a village in Abyei, Jan 22, 2020. Attacks on civilians have persisted despite the presence of the UN Interim Security Forces for Abyei Area | Credit | Resident

The chief administrator of Abyei Administrative Area has objected a decision reached by the Sudanese government and the United Nations to appoint a South Sudanese as deputy to the UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei.

On Wednesday, the Sudanese Prime Minister Dr. Abdulla Hamdok and the UN chief of peacekeeping operations,  Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix agreed to appoint a civilian from South Sudan to the position of deputy head of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Hamdok said the South Sudanese civilian will support the necessary steps to implement the Interim arrangements for the management and security of the Abyei Area, while Jean-Pierre beliefs the move will lead to a political solution to Abyei’s status.

But the chief administrator of the Abyei Administrative Area has opposed the decision.

“We don’t want it to be someone who is part of the issue, we don’t want it to be from Sudan or South Sudan, we want it to come from a neutral country,” Kuol Alor told Eye Radio on Thursday.

“Even if the United Nations insist on this, I don’t think it will be acceptable for all people there. Sudan will have a problem with it because if a  South Sudanese is appointed, we will accept that but in the general principle it will not be for the interest of the issue.”

The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei is a United Nations peacekeeping force in Abyei, formed by United Nations Security Council in June 2011.

Extended in November last year, the current mandate of UNISFA will expire on the 15th of May 2020.

Early this week, the UN chief Antonio Guterres recommended extension of its mandate for another six months.