Addis Ababa, 30 March 2011: Following the meeting of the Sudanese Presidency, on 17 March 2011, in Khartoum, the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), led by former President Thabo Mbeki, has been actively consulting with the Parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and considering proposals with a view to resolving the Abyei impasse.
The Panel will be returning to Sudan in early April to pursue these discussions. Based on consultations with the Parties, the presentation of the proposal will take place at a time to be agreed to with the Presidency.
Meanwhile, the Panel confirmed that both President Omar Hassan al Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir agreed on the security arrangement for Abyei, based upon the Joint Integrated Units and Joint Integrated Police Units, to be implemented immediately.
In addition, the Panel will be convening delegations from the two Parties for a Special Session on Post-Referendum Security Arrangements, on 2nd April 2011, in Ethiopia.