South Sudan place troops on Ugandan border as tensions escalate
South Sudan has placed troops on the Ugandan border to deter skirmishes as tensions escalate following accusations of theft and encroachment.
Allegations have arisen from the local government of Eastern Equatoria, a state in South Sudan, of alleged livestock theft and encroachment by Ugandan forces, reported by The North Africa Post (NAP) on January 18th.
The local government have stated that the deployment of South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) along the border “aims at protecting communities and their properties in the region”, according to NAP.
Communities along the border between South Sudan and Uganda have been living in fear as border disputes have sometimes escalated into violence and armed clashes since 2014.
For example, NAP also reported that in 2024 “a local chief was killed, his head cut off and body burnt to ashes by suspected Uganda forces, as well as raiding unspecified numbers of cattle from South Sudan”.
In September 2024, local authorities in Eastern Equatoria also reported significant encroachments by the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).
Many have criticized the silence from the government on the issue but Abraham Kuol Nyuon, a political scientist at the University of Juba, told NAP: “the silence on this issue could be seen as a tactical decision to preserve vital trade relations and avoid provoking Uganda, which has historically been involved in South Sudanese affairs”.
Whilst boundary disputes are deeply rooted in colonial demarcations of borders which ignored the considerations of the local population, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda are working on a finalized agreement on border demarcations by 2027, reported by Eye Radio.
The three states most recently met in December 2024 and concluded with the signing of an agreement on a trijunction – a point where all three countries meet.
It appears that whilst the local government uses South Sudan’s army to enforce the border, Juba remains silent by prioritizing the trade business between South Sudan and Uganda.
Uganda also remains a far more powerful country than South Sudan, posing problems for the power balance between them.
The North Africa Post, Eye Radio
