EAC to Host Sensitisation Forums for Peace Among Ateker Border Communities

The Tri-Junction, where Kenya’s Turkana, Uganda’s Karamojong, and South Sudan’s Toposa and Didinga communities meet, has been a site of cultural richness and shared history, yet boundary disputes have recently strained relations, affecting peace and local economies.

To restore harmony and foster collaboration, the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, alongside Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan, is organising a high-level Ateker Border Communities meeting from 30th October to 7th November 2024 in Moroto, Uganda. The meeting will focus on presenting the resolutions from the first EAC Peace Caravan held in July 2023 and review strategies for implementing these resolutions.

Key objectives include discussing land ownership, resource-sharing, and bolstering cross-border security to curb cattle rustling and cross-border attacks. Leaders will also examine ways to improve economic cooperation, with a focus on trade, infrastructure, and shared resources like water and pasturelands essential for sustaining local livelihoods.

Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, EAC Deputy Secretary General, highlighted that the Peace Caravan fostered trust and reduced conflict, paving the way for continued dialogue. The Moroto gathering will conclude with a two-day review meeting in Lodwar, Kenya, setting a framework for long-term peace and economic growth.

The mission, supported by the African Union and GIZ, also promotes cultural exchanges, respecting each community’s unique heritage while building unity.