UN gives Sudan and South Sudan 6 months for Abyei monitoring

The U.N. Security Council has decided that the stalemate between Sudan and South Sudan over the status of the oil-rich region of Abyei has gone on for too long and is given the countries a final six months to implement joint border monitoring.

A U.N. peacekeeping mission has been in Abyei since June 2011 and the U.S.-drafted resolution adopted unanimously late Monday by the council also decreases its troop ceiling.

The council's action reflects the Trump administration's determination to reform the U.N.'s far-flung peacekeeping operations and take action when missions aren't able to carry out their mandates.

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Michele Sison told the council that five years of obstacles to deploying the joint border operation "is enough" — and the parties have six months to make it operational.