The Secretary-General condemns the series of incidents that occurred in Abyei in the past 48 hours, which resulted in the death of a United Nations national staff member and the injury of another.  He urges the Abyei communities to return to calm and resolve their disputes through dialogue.

The Secretary-General remains extremely concerned that the Abyei Area joint institutions, including the Police, have not yet been established and urges the parties to quickly address the issue.

The Secretary-General expresses his sincere condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased staff member.