The Norwegian Embassy in South Sudan and Concordis International have signed a grant agreement to support peacebuilding efforts in the Abyei Administrative Area and its surrounding borderlands in Sudan and South Sudan.
The project: "Promoting Peace in the Borderlands around the Abyei Administrative Area” scheduled to run from June 2024 to February 2025 is co-financed by the Norwegian Embassy in Sudan.
Undertaken by a non-governmental organization Concordis International, this initiative aims to enhance conflict resolution mechanisms and strengthen community resilience in the Abyei Administrative Area, an area strained by intercommunal violence and historical disagreements between Sudan and South Sudan.
The project is expected to bring regional stability by reducing conflict spillover and managing intercommunal tensions through improved local governance and dialogue; enhance community resilience by strengthening community structures to better cope with challenges posed by climate change and resource competition, and promote sustainable peace by integrating women and youth into peacebuilding activities—empowering them as crucial agents of change.
This grant agreement highlights Norway’s continuous dedication to addressing root causes of conflict and promoting lasting stability in the Abeyi region.
"Norway is fully committed to supporting peacebuilding in conflict affected areas and we believe that with local ownership and political will, this investment in the Abyei region will play a role in stabilizing the region and improving the lives of local communities,” stated Linken Nymann Berryman, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Sudan.
The Chief Executive Officer of Concordis International, Peter Marsden said: “It has been Concordis’ honour to serve the people in and around the Administrative Area of Abyei for over a decade, working alongside them in building peace and generating livelihoods through trade.This project is about more than money for us: it is about working collaboratively with the Norwegian Embassies in Sudan and South Sudan, as well as with our Sudanese and South Sudanese colleagues and partners, to address the root causes of the many challenges facing Abyei from both sides of their international border.”
This initiative will capitalize on Concordis International’s established presence and expertise in the region by utilizing local knowledge and networks to address the root causes of conflict in the Abyei region.