Uganda and South Sudan vow to solve border dispute

Priscah Akol, Juba

Juba and Kampala have agreed to form a committee for the study and resolution of border disputes.

The decision comes after the murder of 2 South Sudanese soldiers by Ugandan troops at Pogee in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State. The SSPDF allege a Ugandan mechanised unit attacked their defensive border post, meanwhile the UPDF have accused South Sudanese forces of erecting a checkpoint in Ugandan territory. The Ugandan army later announced it had arrest two SPLA-IO aligned soldiers crossing illegally into Uganda.

In July, a similar incident occurred in the region around Fitina Mbaya, another contested part of Kajo-Keji County in Central Equatoria state. Four SSPDF soldiers and 1 National Police Service officer 4 shot and killed by UPDF troops.

Earlier in June, 3 suspected South Sudanese poachers were shot dead by the UPDF soldiers in Kidepo National Park in Karamoja region.

The UPDF spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Deo Akiiki, reported that the two countries would seek to resolve the issues through diplomatic means.

The spokesperson for South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb Hakim Edward, confirmed that efforts are underway to resolve disputes about the border.

“The leadership in the two ministries of foreign affairs are in touch to amicably resolve any border limitation concern” Amb Edward stated.

In 2016, South Sudan and Uganda formed an 18-member Joint Border Committee to start the demarcation in order to resolve cross-border disputes.

Details of the committee and venue of the talks are yet to be made public.