Ayii calls for dialogue with neighbouring countries on border issues
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mayiik Ayii Deng, has called for dialogue between South Sudan and its neighbours to resolve border issues through bilateral and multi-literal relations of their foreign policies.
Ayii made the plea during a presentation at the fifth governor’s forum on Wednesday to enlighten the governors on the foreign policies of South Sudan in Juba.
He told the governors that the issue of South Sudan borders with the neighbouring countries is being tackled at the national level by the South Sudan technical border committee composed of members from the authority, including the revitalised transitional national assembly and officials from the ministry of foreign affairs.
“One of the challenges incorporated into the foreign policy, is the importance of South Sudan entering into dialogue with its neighbours and agreeing on secure borders, fair trade, and economic cooperation both bilaterally and multi-literally,” said Ayii.
He said the committee was formed to resolve the border issues between South Sudan and the neighbouring countries amicably and directed the governors whose states have border issues with the neighbouring countries to report it to the national government.
“As an emphasis, border issues are work of the national government and all State governors whose States fall along international borders should refer all border issues to the national government,” Ayii urged.
In 2018, South Sudan and Uganda formed a working committee to resolve the border dispute between the Acholi of South Sudan and that of Uganda in Lamwo district.
The dispute erupted when local leaders from Lamwo District accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) of blocking road engineers who were constructing a road connecting Uganda with Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State.
Then the Madi of Moyo district in northern Uganda had a similar border dispute with the Kuku of South Sudan at the border between the two countries in Kajo Keji County in 2015. This led to a confrontation between the two communities.
Another border row has led to deadly clashes between Kenya’s Turkana community and the Toposa of the Eastern Equatoria State.
For instance, two people killed in August 2021 when the skirmishes played out in the area.
At the time, the Commissioner of Kapoeta East County, Abdalla Loken, told The City Review that although the fighting had stopped, the tension between the two communities was still very high.
“There is a problem between the two communities because the Turkana came and entered into Toposa side claiming that the area belongs to Kenya territory [and] that is how they started fighting near Jebel Mogila,” Abdalla told City Review in a telephone interview.
‘‘…as I talk [to you] there is no more fighting in the area. The youth of Toposa have gone to search for those who are still missing,” he said.
In the same period, the youth of Toposa petitioned President Salva Kiir over what they described as encroachment, annexation, and occupation of Kapoeta territory, particularly the former Kapoeta East County—now called Losolia and Kauto—by the government of Kenya.
In the petition seen by the City Review, the youth recommended that a temporary border post at Nadapal established by Kenya’s authorities in 2009 be taken to Lokichoggo within the shortest time, adding that the Kenyan authorities had violated resolution number two of the August 2009 meeting.
[Additional reportage by Kidega Livingstone]