Border Community Leaders Ink Deal to Promote Peace and Resource Sharing

Leaders from the Ateker border communities, comprising Kenya's Turkana, Uganda's Karamojong, and South Sudan's Toposa and Didinga, gathered in Moroto, Uganda, to sign a joint report aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence and addressing community issues collaboratively.

During the High-Level Meeting of Ateker Leaders and Border Communities Sensitisation, the leaders pledged to support government initiatives for community participation in the ongoing disarmament process, recognising the role of illegal firearms in exacerbating insecurity in border areas.

The leaders committed to employing traditional and alternative dispute resolution methods to manage conflicts locally. They also agreed to form joint resource management committees to tackle resource scarcity and prevent disputes over resources between communities.

Moreover, they urged the governments of Kenya and Uganda to prioritise signing a resource-sharing agreement that ensures fair access to shared resources, benefiting the border communities. The leaders also called for infrastructure improvements, including roads, markets, and abattoirs, to enhance community livelihoods.

At the event, Chief Guest Dr. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, Uganda's 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, reaffirmed the government's commitment to implementing resolutions from the East African Community's peace caravan. She noted that the Suam One-Stop Border Post is nearing completion, and the 73-kilometre tarmac road from Kapchorwa to Suam is now finished.

Kadaga outlined several security measures the Ugandan government has implemented, including police armory inspections for safe weapon storage, training for law enforcement on physical security and stockpile management, and a fingerprinting system for firearms to create a forensic database for investigations. She also mentioned the deployment of the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) to combat livestock theft and ongoing operations by the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) to ensure public safety.

The Minister announced recent negotiations between Kenya and Uganda resulting in a Memorandum of Understanding on the cross-border Transformation Agenda for Uganda (Karamoja and Sebei) and Kenya (Turkana and West Pokot), along with a resource-sharing agreement for the communities involved. These agreements are set to be signed at the upcoming summit between the two heads of state in Moroto, reinforcing both countries' commitment to lasting peace and development.

This meeting builds on the First EAC Peace Caravan held in June-July 2023, which aimed to encourage peaceful coexistence and effective dispute resolution among border communities.

Following this high-level meeting, a series of sensitisation sessions will be conducted in Moroto (Uganda), Lokichogio (Kenya), and Narus (South Sudan) to promote the resolutions of the peace caravan and regional integration.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Areas (ASALs) and Regional Development, Beatrice Moe Askul, highlighted various projects implemented by the Kenyan government among the Turkana and West Pokot border communities, including the construction of peace dams and solarized boreholes.

Louis Lobong Lojore, Governor of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatorial State, underscored the need for economic cooperation, advocating for discussions focused on enhancing cross-border trade and infrastructure development, particularly regarding shared resources like water and pasturelands.

Additionally, Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure and Social Sectors, emphasised the importance of setting timeframes for decisions made during the meeting to facilitate coordination. He also urged communities to allow for infrastructure development to promote social and economic growth.

The meeting was attended by delegations from Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan, including members of parliament, governors, and county commissioners, all united in their commitment to fostering peace and collaboration among the Ateker communities.