New York, US - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcome an agreement between Sudan and South Sudan to withdraw all forces from the disputed Abyei region, which is a long-running source of tensions between the two countries.

PANA recalled that the governments of the two countries reached an agreement last Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which was facilitated by the African Union High-Level Panel, led by the former South African president Thabo Mbeki.

In a statement made available to PANA here Saturday, Ban commended the two governments for the agreement, which includes the launch of a joint oversight committee for Abyei.

He welcome the efforts of the AU panel 'in helping the parties adopt the modalities of the oversight committee and agreeing on a timetable to withdraw all forces from the Abyei Area, starting Sunday.'

Ban also urged the two neighbouring countries to eschew violence and work towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict on the status of the disputed region.

Abyei is located within Sudan but is contested by South Sudan, which became independent from Sudan on 9 July.

A referendum on its status was to have been held in January this year but never took place amid disagreement on voter eligibility.

Dozens of people have been subsequently killed this year as a result of clashes in Abyei and surrounding areas and more than 100,000 people have had to flee their homes.

The UN Security Council authorized the establishment of a new peacekeeping mission, the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), to try to reduce the violence and insecurity.

Pana 12/09/2011