Senior Twic County officials, traditional chiefs and youth representatives met Friday in Turalei to restart dialogue over boundary disputes that have disrupted seasonal cattle movement and trade along several payam corridors. The session, chaired by the county security committee, followed weeks of community appeals for a negotiated settlement rather than armed confrontation.
Participants reviewed historical grazing agreements, recent incidents affecting civilian travel, and maps submitted by payam administrators. Mediators from civil-society groups facilitated the talks, emphasising that uninterrupted access to markets and clinics remains a shared interest for communities on all sides of the disputed lines.
Our children should inherit pasture and peace together. Guns have never drawn a fair border — only elders sitting together can.
County spokesperson Deng Ajak told reporters that both sides agreed to a two-week cooling-off period, during which armed patrols will coordinate through a single liaison desk and civilian convoys may move with escorts at agreed hours. Markets along the corridor will remain open, a concession traders said was essential ahead of the planting season.
Path to a lasting agreement
Negotiators outlined a three-stage process: immediate security de-escalation, joint verification of landmarks with community witnesses, and a written memorandum to be presented to state-level authorities for formal recognition. Legal advisers cautioned that national boundary commissions may take months, but local accords can restore daily life much sooner if respected.
Women's leaders present at the forum demanded seats on the verification teams, noting that displacement disproportionately affects families fetching water and firewood. Youth representatives asked for employment programmes in border payams to reduce the appeal of militia recruitment.
Observers said the mood was cautious but constructive. A follow-up summit is scheduled before the end of the month, with international partners offering to fund neutral monitoring if both parties sign the preliminary accord.
