President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has said that African Heads of State and Government must take the lead and do all within their powers to peacefully resolve the lingering boundary dispute between Sudan and South Sudan.

Speaking after receiving a briefing on latest developments in the dispute over the Abyei region from Mr. Nafie Ali Nafie, a Special Envoy of President Omar El-Bashir of Sudan, in the State House Abuja on Friday, January 11, President Jonathan pledged that Nigeria will initiate further talks on a peaceful settlement of the dispute at the next summit of the African Union scheduled to hold in Addis Ababa this month.

The President said that African leaders must unite in support of the peaceful and amicable resolution of the dispute over Abyei and all other boundary issues that resulted from the separation of South Sudan from Sudan because they will continue to cause problems between the two countries if left unresolved.

"It is an African problem and African leaders must take the lead in resolving it. We cannot wait for others to come and do it for us," President Jonathan said.

Mr. Nafie assured President Jonathan of President El-Bashir's commitment to the peaceful demarcation of the boundaries between Sudan and South Sudan, and the establishment of friendly relations between both countries.