Tension is building up among Ugandans residing along the Uganda-South Sudan border after South Sudanese authorities claimed ownership of more than 20 villages in Kerwa and Kochi sub-counties in Yumbe district.

The most affected households are in Kaboro A, Keriwa, Kaboro B, Tiria, Sokokobidri, Pasara, Junjubita, Mafuu, Ujuruko, Milia, Koloro, Woroworo, Oloko and Tinji villages all in Kerwa sub-county. 

Meanwhile, in Kochi sub-county, the villages that are being claimed by South Sudanese authorities include Fitina Mbaya, Alema, Milia, Feyo, and Gobiri. James Gale, LC III vice chairperson for Kerwa sub-county explains that over the past few months, South Sudanese authorities have been forcibly allocating land to their people in the affected villages, which are deep inside Ugandan territory. 

According to Gale, the actions of the South Sudanese authorities have displaced several Ugandan households along the border. Rashid Kawawa Godson, LC III chairperson for Lori sub county says that their preliminary findings indicate that the majority of the people the South Sudan authorities are settling in the disputed border are refugees from settlements in Uganda who run back to South Sudan over food shortages.

In July this year, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) together with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) announced food cuts and a prioritization strategy for the most vulnerable refugees in Uganda as needs outstrip resources. Jackson Amule, the Kerwa sub county councilor said that several Ugandans have decided to abandon their homes due to fear of being captured by the South Sudanese authorities. 

Amule called upon the Ugandan government to engage their counterparts in South Sudan to resolve the border conflict, which he says is affecting the implementation of government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM).

Yumbe District Woman MP Melisa Avako has appealed to the displaced residents to remain calm and pledged to table the matter on the floor of parliament for government intervention. 

For a long time, the two countries have been embroiled in a dispute over the border stretching from Oraba in Koboko district to Lefori sub-county in Moyo district, which has led to displacement of several households and loss of property. 

In 2009, President Yoweri Museveni and his Sudanese counterpart President Salva Kiir Mayardir met in Moyo district and agreed that farmers from both countries could utilize the vast virgin farmland along the border without any party claiming ownership of the land until the boundary between the two countries is redefined, which hasn’t been done. By URN The Observer

The First Africa climate summit in Nairobi intensified calls for a common African currency to address climate finance gaps. A section of African ministers and experts indicated that currency could stimulate economic growth, enhance access to capital markets, and reduce risks for international investors,  all while promoting regional cooperation.

Speaking during the ministerial panel discussion Dr Mohammed Adam, state minister of finance in Ghana emphasised the need for Africa to utilise its own currency in trade and leverage private sector funds to complement public finance in responding to the climate crisis. 

He stated: "With a single currency, intra-African trade would become more efficient, reducing trade barriers and transaction costs. This would stimulate economic growth and create additional fiscal space for investments in climate resilience and renewable energy projects."

"Africa should use its currency to trade and tap into private sector funds to complement public finance in response to the climate crisis," he said.

Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, the deputy chairperson for the African Union Commission, highlighted the long-standing goal of a common African currency as a symbol of unity and strength.

"The goal of a common African currency will be a pillar of African unity, a symbol of the strength that we hope will emerge from efforts to integrate the continent," she said. "A unified currency could make African nations more attractive to global investors." 

She added, "A larger, more stable market would encourage foreign direct investment, leading to increased access to capital markets. These funds could be channelled towards green bonds and climate finance initiatives, helping us bridge the climate finance gap."

Barbara Creecy, the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries from South Africa, drew attention to the critical issue of climate finance for Africa. She pointed out the stark disparity, saying, "Currently, about half of the climate finance globally comes from the private sector. But in Africa, it makes up only 14 per cent of the total flows."

She highlighted, "Climate projects often involve long-term commitments, and a common currency could provide greater confidence in the stability of investment returns, encouraging more significant flows of climate finance.

She explained that by eliminating the need for foreign exchange reserves and reducing currency risk, African nations would free up fiscal space that could be allocated to climate projects, renewable energy initiatives, and climate resilience programs. This would be a game-changer for our efforts to combat climate change.

Soipan Tuya, the CS Environment, emphasized the need to address Africa's debt burden in the context of climate action. She said, "The multinational development banks have to reconsider Africa’s debt approach, enabling African countries to tackle climate change challenges without burdensome debt."

The discussions at the summit revolved around the importance of reforming financial systems to enable post-disaster reconstruction, strengthening the African Adaptation Initiative, and delivering the UNFCCC Loss and Damage Fund. Additionally, leaders highlighted the necessity of financial investments in universal coverage of early warning and early action systems for disaster risk reduction.

Africa faces a significant adaptation funding gap, with the African Development Bank estimating the cost of climate-related disasters to be between USD7 billion to USD15 billion annually, projected to rise to USD50 billion by 2030.

To address these challenges, African countries need to raise USD124 billion annually by 2030, but they currently receive only USD28 billion a year. The summit aims to emphasize the urgency of prioritising adaptation investment as a development imperative for Africa and the world.

Furthermore, the summit aims to secure commitments towards the delivery of the USD100 billion funding target and greater support from Multilateral Development Banks for climate adaptation.

Private capital, estimated at USD630 billion per year, was identified as a potential source of investment, particularly in agriculture. By Mactilda Mbenywe, The Standard