25 July 2012 - To mediate inter-communal conflict between Northern Bahr El-Ghazal and Warrap states, community leaders decided today to establish joint mobile courts.

Twenty-two chiefs at a peace conference in Aweil East County signed a resolution, which was witnessed by county commissioners from five bordering counties in the two states – Gogrial West and Twic counties in Warrap state, and Aweil East, Aweil Centre and Aweil South counties in Northern Bahr El-Ghazal.

Presiding over the closing ceremony, Deputy Governor of Northern Bahr El-Ghazal Brig. Madut Dut Yel commended participants for choosing to solve their differences peacefully through dialogue.

"You are serving as an example to other states in South Sudan and leading the way in cooperation and promotion of peaceful co-existence among communities," he said.

The mobile courts are expected to resolve common inter-communal conflict, including cattle raiding, looting and disputes over pasture and cultivation areas.

"The resolutions ... will address issues such as cattle theft, which as we have seen in other places, can trigger violence to unprecedented levels," said Luis Perez-Segnini, UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer in Northern Bahr El-Ghazal.

UNMISS in Northern Bahr El-Ghazal and Warrap state would continue to work with the community leaders in monitoring the agreement, he said.

The peace conference was facilitated by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).