Inside Uganda, South Sudan pact to end cross-border insecurity

Ugandan authorities and their counterparts in South Sudan have signed an agreement on joint management of security along the borders of the two countries, Saturday Monitor has learnt.
The pact was signed on Tuesday between the Ugandan security committees from Lamwo and Kitgum districts and the commissioners of Magwi, Budi and Ikwotos counties at a ceremony held at Magwi County headquarters, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan.
Uganda was represented by Mr Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the Lamwo RDC, and Mr Jimmy Ssegawa Ebil, the Kitgum RDC, and South Sudan government was represented by Mr David Otto, the commissioner for Magwi County; Mr Mboya Akileo the commissioner for Budi County, and Mr Caesar Ingong Abondio,  the commissioner for Ikwotos County.

The leaders agreed to eliminate the barriers to the free movement of people, goods and services between Uganda and South Sudan under the East African protocol. They also agreed to put a mechanism to facilitate the movement of refugees across the borderpoints as well as sensitise them on refugee policies regarding the cross-border movement by refugees through gazetted and ungazetted border points.
The copy of the February 21 agreement, which this publication saw, spelt that South Sudan and Ugandan security agencies collaborate and end harassment of refugees, returnees and traders following the recent spate of arrests and harassment of people as they cross the border from both sides.
“There is illegal crossing with firearms by criminals from both sides. Illegal crossing with firearms is prohibited and punishable by law. The parties agree to curb the vice. The parties agree to strengthen security and observation of human rights and protection policies,”  it stated.

The pact also spelt that mechanisms are put in place to ensure that their respective (customs) officers working at the border points adhere to government policies in relation to their roles and responsibilities to end unnecessary charging of traders at border points.
“On the issue of smugglers and cattle rustlers, the parties agree to intensify patrol and increase intelligence information sharing to curb the vices. The parties agree to ensure gender mainstreaming in the services offered at the border points due to a lack of gender sensitivity at border points both in Uganda and South Sudan,”  the agreement reads.
In an interview,  Mr Oceng said the parties have also agreed to sensitise people on Ugandan roaduser policies and use official border crossing points rather than a porous border.

He said the agreement also aims at ending cattle rustling, which is frequently reported by communities adjacent to border points in Madi Opei, Agoro, and Palabek Nyimur (Lamwo).
“South Sudan and Ugandan security have agreed to put in place a mechanism to counter cattle rustlers. Regarding illegal logging, the parties agreed to enforce relevant laws that promote the environment and regulate the use of  natural resources,” Mr Oceng said.
He also said they have agreed to cause the respective central governments (Kampala and Juba) to speed up the process of border demarcation between Uganda and South Sudan.
“This comes as a result of land conflicts along border points mainly in the areas of Palabek Nyimur, Lokung and Madi-Opei (Uganda) and Pogee, Lobone, Owiny-ki-bul and Tseretenya (South Sudan). The implementation progress made shall be reviewed quarterly,” Mr Oceng said.
He said the two countries agreed to liaise in order to rehabilitate major roads connecting Uganda and South Sudan borders. The poor roads have affected business and movement of goods and services.

Local authorities in Eastern Equatoria (Magwi, Ikwoto Budi), Lamwo and Kitgum districts recently entered into discussions involving community development, protection, safety operation and social service.
“Over the years, due to civil wars, the two countries have interchangeably hosted refugees from either country, with relative peace . There is continuous movement of people across the border points between the two countries,” Mr Mboya Akileo, the county commissioner for Budi County, said.

“The parties agreed that this MoU shall be overseen by the management of the district security committees of Lamwo and Kitgum and counties of Magwi, Budi and Ikwoto,” Mr Mboya said.
The agreement comes against the backdrop of efforts by the two countries to ensure safety and peaceful co-existence, prevention of conflict along the borderline and promotion of economic development between the two countries.

Background

This is not the first time, authorities from both countries are engaging to end the border conflicts and promote economic development.
   In November 2020, the former South Sudan Chief of Defence Forces (SSPDF), Gen Johnson Juma Okot, led a high-profile delegation of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) to meet their Ugandan counterparts of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in Gulu city.
    The delegation was welcomed by Gen Wilson Mbadi, then UPDF Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Land Force commander Peter Elwelu, Maj Gen Paul Lokech, among others, to the 4th Division Barracks where the meeting was held.
    Among some of the resolutions agreed on during the meeting was to conduct induction and sensitisation between forces on both sides to help in continually building on their mutual interests in the area of security.

     Guaranteeing the security and welfare of nationals of both countries once they cross into either country to do work or business was also agreed upon.
    On August 6, 2022, Lt Gen James Koang Chuol, the SSPDF deputy Chief of Defence Forces in-charge of Training and Research, led a delegation of SSPDF senior leaders to meet their UPDF counterpart led by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Mbadi.
     Gen Chuol and Gen Mbadi’s accounts to the media pointed to a deal arrived at in which UPDF and    SSPDF will share intelligence information on the Uganda National People’s Liberation Armed Forces (UNPLAF) alleged to be operating in South Sudan.
     On the sidelines of the address, Gen Mbadi said: “We have agreed to work together to make sure whatever insecurity affecting the two counties is dealt with through sharing of information.”

    The agreement, he said, followed the spillover security impact of the UNPLAF and the National Salvation Army activities in Uganda and South Sudan.
     Despite the presence of a security protocol and peace pact signed between the UPDF and the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) last year, ambushes and killings of truck drivers and passengers along the Juba-Nimule highway have persisted.