Bacha Zewdie
Ethiopia and south Sudan are East African countries that share long border. They have many things in common like; people of the same tribe in borders, culture and livelihood of the people. The two bordering countries have signed an agreement to sustain peace and stability along their joint border recently in Gambella town, according to the Sudan Tribune.
The agreement was signed between Dr Gatluak Tut Khot, the President of Gambella region of Ethiopia and Gen David Yau Yau, the Governor of Boma State of South Sudan on the peace and security congress held at Gambella town in August 2018.
The newly born Ethiopian neighbor South Sudan is immersed in the chaos immediately after its formation as a state. This instability or chaos resulted in the migration of its residents in great number and the destination of many of them is Ethiopia, particularly the Gambella region.
Though having or getting a new neighbor is a blessing in many ways, like economic cooperation, people to people relation and cultural interaction, threats may also arise regarding peace and security that generates from the nature of the new nation.
It is remembered that the two countries have agreed to undertake a range of joint activities along their shared border on April 4, 2012 in Addis Ababa, according to the Sudan Tribune.
The then agreement stated that, the bordering regions of the two countries will undertake a number of development activities and will make coordinated efforts to further strengthen the ties between its people.
The two sides have also agreed to work together on border security, to ensure sustainable peace and stability. They will undertake joint measures to combat armed groups which pose a threat to the security of the border regions.
David Kong Dang, deputy head of the mission at the embassy of South Sudan in Addis Ababa told the Sudan Tribune that the joint border commission meeting had been “fruitful”.
Dang said both delegations have agreed to control the illegal movement of people across the border by establishing immigration checkpoints at the main crossings at Gambella and Akoba on Ethiopian side and Pagak and Nasir areas on the South Sudanese side.
This is the first major joint agreement to be signed between the countries at the regional level, since South Sudan officially gained its independence in July 2011.
This triggers a question that why is an additional agreement needed? The reason may be is that peace and stability require a close attention as the repeatedly occurred political turmoil of the region. The non stopping conflict happened in the South Sudan also reveals that being cautious on the side of Ethiopia should be the day to day agenda.
In addition, the unexpected raid takes place in the border that targets the Gambella region of Ethiopia makes the agreement decisive to safeguard, particularly the Anuak people which are vulnerable to and victim of the attack.
According to the document signed in August, 2018, “There should be a joint security force in the common border between the two states to clear or dismantle the anti-peace elements and illegal business moving around the border areas.”
They regretted the deadly cross-border raid carried out in Gambella in 2016 by armed Murle men (of the South Sudan) that resulted in the loss of more than 200 lives and over 100 children abducted. Of course, 50 children were returned, while others are still missing.
This situation creates the state of being insecure among the society in the region and affects their usual activity. So that, the instability that characterizes South Sudan may be extended to the Gambella region as a communicable disease. Therefore, in order to protect such chaos, the agreement is vital.
On the other hand, the agreement is beneficial in several ways for both regions at minimum level and for both countries at large scale. As unstable corridor, the Ethio-South Sudan border is characterized by its illegal movement of people, business and armaments. The movement of illegal armaments around the border particularly is the big threat for Ethiopia regarding the currently eruption of violence here and there.
The widely known as a stable nation Ethiopia nowadays is experiencing unusual conflicts between ethnics in different parts. If the illegal movement of armament is not controlled, it can be a fuel for the violence. Therefore, agreement with neighboring countries like the South Sudan where armaments are easily available, aiming to safeguard security is a matter of sustainability as a nation.
The agreement also enables both nations to perform legal businesses across the border in line with genuine movement of citizens of both sides. In addition, the migrants of the South Sudan could feel safe to return home and contribute for the overall growth of their newly formed nation. Besides, Ethiopians also feel free to work in South Sudan, invest in different sectors even though there are many of them working there regardless of the instability.
Though signing an agreement is a good and a big step, it cannot last for long if not backed by practical action from both sides. To this end, both countries as nations and the bordering regions should be responsible to the words of the paper to be put into practice.
I think both have learned from their previous experiences that, nothing can be gained from conflicts either inland or with bordering nations. If some lesson is gained from the past, the best opt for both parties should be putting the words into deeds.
The agreement intended to sustain peace and stability along the border of the two countries should not be taken as easily as the agreement of merely the two countries. Rather, it should be considered as a good example for the countries in the region or the Horn of Africa.
If peace and security are safeguarded in the region, the outcome is manifested in the growth of economy as well as political and social stability in the region. To this end, other neighboring countries of the two nations should stretch their hands for the reality of the agreement.
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