The United States Ambassador to South Sudan says Juba and Khartoum must move quickly to set up an Abyei Referendum Commission.
The status of Abyei was scheduled to have been resolved in a referendum over two years ago, but differences between Juba and Khartoum over who was eligible to vote caused its delay.
Without such a commission, the way ahead will be even more challenging, Ambassador Susan Page told Eye Radio.
Ambassador Page has also said it is a delicate process, but the right foundations need to be in place first.
“It’ll be extremely difficult to move forward with a referendum commotion when there is no administrative structure in place,” said Amb Page. “So, I think they will have to resolve those issues because otherwise none of the people have any way to deal with the officials on the other side because they aren’t any official.”
Ambassador Page is also supporting the United Nations decision to send an extra 11 hundred peace keepers to Abyei.