Abiemnhom cross-border peace conference postponed
A cross-border peace conference set for Tuesday in Abiemnhom, within South Sudan’s Ruweng Administrative Area, was postponed after disagreement emerged between the Misseriya and Mayom communities over cattle migration corridors. Organisers described the meeting as a grassroots effort to reduce local tensions.
Communities involved in the UNMISS-backed initiative
The planned conference was expected to bring together the Ngok Dinka from the Abyei Administrative Area, the Arab Misseriya from Sudan’s West Kordofan State, and representatives from Ruweng and Mayom County in Unity State. The aim was to address cross-border concerns linked to seasonal movements and coexistence.
RRC explains Mayom’s last-minute decision
Kat Ngor, Deputy Chairperson of South Sudan’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), said the Mayom community declined to participate at the last minute because of the unresolved dispute over livestock migration entry points (Radio Tamazuj).
“The peace conference was postponed because Mayom community in Unity State have not agreed with the Misseriya from Sudan’s West Kordofan State,” Ngor said, adding that a Misseriya delegation travelled to engage Mayom leaders (Radio Tamazuj).
Local sources describe delegation talks in Unity State
A Unity State resident familiar with the delegation’s arrival said information received on Tuesday suggested the visitors had reached Unity State and may have already started discussions. The person did not provide further details on the agenda, but framed the visit as part of efforts to unlock participation.
Mayom County Commissioner calls for region-wide peace
Mayom County Commissioner Jackson Mut Yien said the border communities share similar livelihoods and a common interest in stability. “We are sharing common borders with Misseriya, Abiemnhom and Mayom and all of us own cattle,” Mut said (Radio Tamazuj).
Mut argued that peace should be pursued across the wider area rather than in isolated localities. He also said he wanted Misseriya pastoralists to brief him on their peace mission, similar to engagements held with Abiemnhom’s county leadership, before consenting to Mayom participation (Radio Tamazuj).
Funding and the seasonal context of cattle migration
Misseriya leaders were not immediately reachable for comment, according to the report. The conference is funded by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in collaboration with the government of South Sudan (Radio Tamazuj).
The dispute sits within a recurring seasonal pattern: during the dry season, pastoralist groups such as the Misseriya typically move livestock south from Sudan into grazing areas in South Sudan, using traditional corridors that often require locally negotiated access and entry points.