Acting Speaker of the Council of States speaks during a panel of discussion on the Inte'l Day for the Elimination Sexual Violence in Conflict. | 15th June 2022. | Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio.

The Acting Speaker of the Council of States has complained to the Ugandan Envoy on South Sudan peace process over border conflicts in the region.

Mary Ayen Majok held talks with Betty Oyella Bigombe on the implementation of the 2018 peace deal, Tuesday in Juba.

Hon. Ayen said she conferred to the Ugandan diplomat, the incidents of border conflict between Uganda and South Sudan, and other neighboring East Africa member states.

“In the meeting with Hon. Betty Oyali, we discussed the border issues that are affecting the Republic of South Sudan the region of the East Africa as all,” Ayen told the state-owned television SSBC in Juba on Tuesday.

The lawmaker said the Ugandan official agreed to table the concerns before IGAD.

“And she promise to raise some of this issues to IGAD regional bloc for clarifications and better arrangement on how the border conflicts can be solved.’’

Honorable Ayen said they discussed the challenges facing the Council of States in the implementation of the peace process.

“We also discussed a number of issues concerning the council of state. the major issues were the challenges facing the council of state especially in the peace implementation process,” said Ayen.

The visit of the peace envoy comes weeks after the Ugandan Defense Force clashed with the South Sudan Peoples’ Defense Force in Magwi County, which left two SSPDF soldiers dead.

A few days after the confrontation, the UPDF abandoned the conflict zone and retreated into Uganda.

Honorable Ayen said such border conflict is derailing efforts of the unity government in implementing the peace process.