The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) 3 Infantry Division Commander, Brig Gen Michael Walaka Hyeroba, has called for joint peacebuilding and climate action among Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya to address insecurity arising from environmental challenges in cross-border pastoral communities.
“We cannot secure peace without addressing the climate. And we cannot address climate without securing peace,” Brig Gen Hyeroba said.
He was speaking at a three-day Uganda-South Sudan Cross-Border Peace and Climate Action Conference organised by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Kaabong District under the theme, “Building Peaceful and Resilient Communities Across Borders.”
Brig Gen Hyeroba said prolonged drought, unreliable rainfall, diminishing pasture and drying water sources were increasingly forcing pastoralists in Karamoja, Turkana, West Pokot and Eastern Equatoria to cross borders in search of water and pasture, sometimes triggering conflicts.
He called for the establishment of shared early warning systems, coordinated management of water and grazing resources, community-led peace structures, climate-resilient livelihoods and environmental protection to promote lasting peace across the borders.
He also urged governments and development partners to invest in water infrastructure, pasture management and cross-border development, saying improved access to essential resources would help prevent conflicts among pastoral communities.
“Karamoja, Turkana and Eastern Equatoria share the same sun, the same drought, the same cattle and the same future. If we build peaceful and resilient communities across borders, our children will inherit grazing land, not battlefields,” he said.
The Minister for Karamoja Affairs, John Baptist Lokii, said peace was a prerequisite for prosperity, noting that insecurity fuels poverty and underdevelopment.
He commended the UPDF for its sacrifices in restoring peace in the region and called for sustained security operations against criminals possessing illegal firearms.
The Minister for Ethics and Integrity, Rose Lilly Akello, thanked ADRA for bringing together stakeholders to discuss regional challenges and called for a holistic approach to peacebuilding and climate action.
She emphasised the need to involve women in peacebuilding initiatives and promote transparency in security matters.
Meanwhile, Members of Parliament representing Dodoth East, Peter Pex Paak; Dodoth West, Baatom Ben Koryang; and Kotido District Woman MP, Hafsa Nuriat, urged stakeholders to translate the conference resolutions into practical interventions.
They noted that pastoral communities across the three countries faced similar challenges, including drought, cattle theft, insecurity and environmental degradation, adding that sustainable development could only be achieved through lasting peace.
The conference brought together military commanders, security officers, civil leaders, elders, development partners and representatives from Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya to strengthen cross-border cooperation and promote peaceful, climate-resilient communities.
