Ateker Triangle: Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan in the first gathering of indigenous communities
The Tri-Junction, where Kenya’s Turkana, Uganda’s Karamojong, and South Sudan’s Toposa and Didinga communities converge, has long been marked by rich cultural diversity and shared histories.
However, boundary disputes have strained these ties, impacting peace, security and economic growth.
In the spirit of good neighbourliness and to promote peaceful coexistence, the East African Community Secretariat, in collaboration with Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan, have organised a high-level meeting of the Ateker Border Communities.
The meeting takes place between the 30th day of October and the 7th of November 2024.
This one-week engagement takes place in Moroto, Uganda, with the primary objective of submitting to the high-level border community leaders the resolutions of the first EAC Peace Caravan held in July 2023 and the implementation framework for their consideration.
The meeting will also provide an opportunity to present the Peace Caravan resolutions to the leaders of the Tri-Junction for their review and approval. Further, the meeting will review and adopt the draft framework for the implementation of these resolutions and the border community sensitization programme.
Following the meeting, the leaders will jointly launch the sensitisation programme in Moroto focusing on peaceful coexistence, good neighbourliness and prosperity for border communities.
The initiative will set in motion a series of sensitisation and awareness activities that will take place in Lokichogio, Kenya, and Narus, South Sudan.
The events are set to conclude with a two-day review meeting in Lodwar, Turkana County, Kenya.
Speaking ahead of the mission, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, said that the EAC Peace Caravan, which was launched in July 2023, had promoted dialogue, confidence-building and sustainable conflict resolution.
“Since the Peace Caravan, no major incidents of violence have occurred among the communities. This current mission builds on that momentum, focusing on dialogue to address root issues such as land ownership, resource sharing and historical claims,” said Ariik.
Ariik further said that the leaders will work to improve security coordination across borders to curb incidents like cattle rustling and cross-border attacks.
Additionally, economic cooperation is a key priority, with discussions aimed at enhancing cross-border trade, infrastructure development, and access to shared resources like water and pasturelands, which are vital for the livelihoods of these communities.
The mission is supported by the African Union and GIZ and also seeks to promote cultural exchanges and encourage unity while preserving the distinct traditions of each community.