Sudan conflict affecting South Sudan's economy, worsening insecurity: UN

​​​​​HAMILTON, Canada

A senior UN official said Wednesday that the conflict in Sudan is destabilizing South Sudan and worsening the economic and humanitarian situation along the shared border.

"The bilateral relationship between Sudan and South Sudan remains deeply affected by the war that started in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)," Guang Cong, deputy special representative to the secretary-general of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), told the Security Council.

"The conflict in Sudan continues to impact the security situation in South Sudan with cross-border movements of armed groups on both sides, increasing the insecurity in and around the border area," he said.

Warning that the situation is worsening South Sudan's fragile economy, he said: "South Sudan's oil flow and exports through Sudan have experienced significant disruptions, resulting in a 24.5% contraction of its economy."

He noted that "subsequent attacks by the RSF on oil installations, notably drone strikes on fuel depots storing South Sudan's crude in Port Sudan on 5-6 May, and another attack on 26 August on oil facilities in Heglig, near the Sudan-South Sudan border, resulted in oil spills, environmental damage and led to an emergency shutdown of operations."

Although both sides have sought to secure oil infrastructure and improve economic ties, Cong said, "Bilateral engagement between Sudan and South Sudan on the final status of Abyei has been at a low point since the start of the war in Sudan," further complicating regional stability. The oil-rich Abyei Administrative Area is administered by South Sudan and Sudan, with both claiming stakes and having been embroiled in conflict for years.

He added that "about 41,000 displaced people from Sudan have entered Abyei since the start of the Sudan war, placing immense pressure on already limited water, food, health care, shelter and other humanitarian resources."

On the security situation, Cong said the UN remains concerned that "the growing presence and activities of the RSF in northern Abyei violate the 2011 Agreement on Interim Arrangements and the applicable Security Council resolutions on Abyei."

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, assistant secretary-general for Africa in the departments of political and peacebuilding affairs and peace operations, said that "the political process between the Sudan and South Sudan on Abyei and border issues remains stalled" due to the conflict.

She noted that the "presence of armed actors, including the Rapid Support Forces, has also resulted in the establishment of illegal checkpoints in northern Abyei," forcing UN peacekeepers to intervene.

"I reiterate the call for the immediate withdrawal of all armed forces and other armed actors from Abyei, in conformity with the weapon-free status of Abyei," Pobee said, adding that the mission continues to support humanitarian partners addressing "high levels of acute malnutrition among children."

Pobee said UNISFA's 15% budget cut "will impact the mission's mandate implementation capacity by reducing the number of military and civilian personnel" and straining critical support operations.