The 12th Uganda- Kenya Joint Border Commissioners’ meeting has put in place measures to curb cross border crimes, which include; human, small arms and illicit drugs trafficking.
The Joint Border Commissioners made the security deliberations at a four days meeting, which started on Tuesday at Rider Hotel, Seeta in Mukono Municipality.
“Although we are separated by Colonial borders, we are all brothers and sisters because our border communities share similar languages and cultures, which is why we should put our efforts together to combat all forms of cross border crimes”, said Fr. Simon Lokodo, the Uganda Minister for Ethics and Integrity in his opening remarks.
Fr. Lokodo further highlighted human trafficking, cattle rustling and small arms cross border trafficking as being a challenge to the two sister countries, which should be addressed jointly.
He hailed government’s effort in disarming Karamajong cattle rustlers and urged the Kenyan delegation to disarm the neighbouring Turkana communities in order to eradicate cattle rustling across borders.
In a joint communiqué, the Kenyan delegation reiterated the need for continued corporation between security organs of the two sister countries to curb cross border crimes.
“Sharing of security information is the only remedy to curbing cattle rustling, drugs and human trafficking among others. We need to sharpen our vigilance and share intelligence information to combat these crimes,” reads the communiqué in part.
In her address to journalists, Ugandan High Commissioner to Kenya Phibby Otaala said there is need to fast track East Africa Community (EAC) integration process to curb the existing economic and security bottlenecks.
“The only way we can eradicate cross border crimes and boost our economies is through EAC integration”, she said.
The meeting participants are set to set up joint Border working committees, the composition of the secretariat and the signing of the Report of the 12th Uganda-Kenya Joint Border Commission.