Ethiopia and Kenya launch program to end border conflicts
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
December 7, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia and Kenya in partnership with the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) launched on Monday a program to end conflicts and foster peace along their common borders.
The five-year Integrated Program intends to arrest long-standing cross-border conflicts between communities of both sides and bring about sustainable development in the northern Marsabit county of Kenya and Ethiopia’s southern Borana zone.
The Ethiopian prime minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn and Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, launched the $200 million program and unveiled a peace declaration at a ceremony held at the border town of Moyale.
“This is a historic a function. The presence of the Prime Minister is a reminder of Ethiopia’s commitment to deeper relationship between the countries and the people” said Kenyatta at the launch of the program.
The Kenyan leader, during the occassion, further stressed that lasting security and development could only be achieved when the various local communities were involved.
“The program being launched is transformative in nature. Poverty and violence have rained and we must do everything to end conflict and ensure people in those marginalized areas have equal opportunities like all other parts of the country”, he said.
Dessalgn, on his part, said both governments are committed to enhance peace and development in the sub-region and expressed hope that peace would soon prevail at the borders.
“Cross-border cooperation is an integral element of the inevitable and already begun process of regional integration between and among our sisterly nations”, he said.
The Ethiopian prime minister said his government was committed to address historical marginalization of the region and will heighten efforts to uplift the people out of poverty.
Desalegn further said the program will have an important contribution to advance the Lamu-Port South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor.
The Ethiopian leader further expressed commitment to support the cross-border program aimed at bringing durable peace and development in the two countries.
The launch of the border peace program is a follow-up of an initiative launched in October 2014 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, World Bank President Jim Kim and the IGAD Council of Ministers to boost economic growth, reduce poverty and promote business activities in the Horn of Africa through cross-border cooperation, among others.
The Ethiopia-Kenya border had long been a source of conflict between Ethiopian and Kenyan communities residing along the border line mainly over natural resources.
During the past few years, conflicts along the common border have led to deaths of hundreds of people from both sides and forced tens of thousands to displace.
Relations between Ethiopia and Kenya came under threat after Ethiopian forces recently crossed borders into Kenya to hunt members of the Oromo Liberation Movement (OLF) a group designated as a terrorist entity by the Ethiopian government.
(ST)