Juba, South Sudan
October 8, 2021—Kenya and South Sudan have inked a border crossing agreement to strengthen their long-standing economic and political alliance.
The agreement was signed on October 1st, 2021, in Lodwar, a border town between Kenya’s Turkana district and South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State.
In a statement extended to Nyamilepedia, John Munyes Kiyonga, the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Petroleum and Mining, Josephat Koli Nanok, Turkana County Governor represented Kenya while Louis Lobong Lojore, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State represented South Sudan in what the leaders described as a consultative meeting.
“Relations between the two countries have now reached the level of strategic partnership and the two countries seek to comprehensively improve relations between themselves to foster the peaceful coexistence of the border communities and to enhance free movement of goods and services for the benefits of the two countries,” Lobong told the Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
The deal brings both Kenya and South Sudan on guard to rejuvenate their efforts on multi-million-dollar infrastructure scheme that is intended to stretch from East to the Horn of African countries.
“We the leaders drawn from Turkana County in the Republic of Kenya and Eastern Equatoria in the Republic of South Sudan, held our mutual consultative meeting in Lodwar within the Republic of Kenya on 1st October 2021 for the purpose of deliberating on the potential benefits to that section of Nadapal of the A1 Road,” the statement further reads
According to Louis Lobong, the two countries hope to achieve peaceful coexistence between the neighboring Toposa, Turkana and Pokot communities that are sometimes engage in deadly welfares across the borders.
In addition, the two governors hope to create jobs and deliver goods and services once this project succeeds.
“The road is currently dilapidated and impassable state of disrepair, and such has hindered trade, free movement of goods and services and people from the two countries. Finalization of repair and upgrading works in this section of the road will enhance cross border movement, increase trade, open thriving livestock markets, and thereby foster peaceful relations,” the statement adds.
The two sisterly countries have concurred to complete boundary delimitation and demarcation within the African Union framework of 2022. They acknowledged that the two communities share a lot in common, including culture, language and social-economic values and other bonds necessary for peace and development.
