Several news items related to developments in Abyei

UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SUDAN ( UNMIS)
Media Monitoring Report, December 17, 2008

Joint Ministerial team visits Abyei
Akhbar Al Youm reports a joint ministerial team representing GoNU and the Fund for Supporting Unity visited Abyei yesterday to set plans for emergency programs in the area. The team was led by the Federal Minister of Health Dr. Thabita Boutros and comprised the Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Engineer Kamal Ali Mohamed, GoSS Minister of Interior Paul Mayom, Minister of the Presidency Luka Piong, State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and State Minister at the Ministry of Finance.

On the same development, Al Akhbar, the State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun said that in a two-week period the joint team would approve the development projects that were discussed with Abyei Administration in order to transform the area into a bridge for unity and peaceful coexistence. He added that the meeting agreed to establish an emergency fund to develop the area.

In another development, Al Akhbar reports UNMIS Deputy Spokesperson Kouider Zerrouk said that the JIUs pull-out of Abyei was completed in accordance with the recent agreement between the Abyei Administration, the JIUs and the JIPUs. He expressed UNMIS readiness to support and assist the Abyei Administration in the implementation of this agreement.

Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and SSRRC dispatch an aid convoy to Abyei
Al Watan reports the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) sent a delegation to Abyei in order to assess the humanitarian situation in the area following the recent incidents. SSRRC Operations Coordinator in the North stated that the mission would carry out an assessment on the conditions, needs and figures of IDPs in the area. He added that the Ministry and SSRRC would dispatch an aid convoy to Abyei in the next two days comprising of food items and medicines.

Vice President urges the parties in Abyei to take immediate actions
Akhbar Al Youm reports the Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha urged the concerned parties to take immediate actions to calm the situation in Abyei area.

Mr. Taha met yesterday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Deng Alor and discussed with him a number of issues including the recent developments in the area and the visit of the joint ministerial team to address the implementation of emergency projects in collaboration with the Abyei Administration. According to the daily, Deng Alor said that a similar delegation from Southern Sudan is expected to arrive in the area for the same purpose.

Abyei Administration rejects the budget allocated by the Presidency to the area
Al Sahafa reports the Abyei Administration rejected the budget allocated by the Presidency and described it as insufficient. The Administration has prepared an alternative budget proposal which reflects the real needs in terms of development and infrastructure. The daily also wrote that Abyei Administration has decided to send a delegation to Khartoum in order to discuss the budget issue with the Presidency.

Joint Defence Board orders investigations on Abyei
Al Ayaam reports the Spokesperson of the Joint Defence Board Maj. Grl. Bior Ajang informed Al Ayaam that the next meeting scheduled on 16 January would form a committee to carry out investigations on the recent incident in Abyei. The meeting would also discuss the deployment of SAF in Jawa areas in Southern Kordofan and along the boundaries with Bahr El Ghazal as a result of the recent reports on imminent attack by JEM on Khartoum and El Obeid, said the newspaper.

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