![East Equatoria district map overview](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/East_Equatoria_district_map_overview.svg)
Greater Kapoeta is the name given to the eastern half of the erstwhile
Eastern Equatoria
Eastern Equatoria is a state in South Sudan. It has an area of 73,472 km². The capital is Torit. On October 1, 1972, the state was divided into Imatong and Namorunyang states and was re-established by a peace agreement signed on 22 Febru ...
State in
South Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...
, at one time an administrative region with headquarters in the town of
Kapoeta
Kapoeta is a town in South Sudan. It is located in Kapoeta South County, in Eastern Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria State, in southeastern South Sudan.
Location
The town lies on the east bank of the Singaita River. The post at Kapoeta was establi ...
.
Greater Kapoeta was divided between Kapoeta County and
Budi County
Budi County is an administrative area of Eastern Equatoria state in South Sudan, with headquarters in Chukudum.
Location
Budi county is derived from two ethnic groups who inhabit the area (Buya and Didinga). It is located in Eastern Equatoria Sta ...
, named after the
Buya and
Didinga
The Didinga (diDinga) are a Surmic ethnic group that occupy the Didinga Mountains region in Budi County, Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan. They live in the valleys, on the plateaus and slopes, and on the adjacent plains of the region. Their n ...
(BU-DI) people. Kapoeta County was later split into
Kapoeta North,
South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
and
East
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...
counties.
People
The region is home to the three pastoralist communities of
Buya,
Diding'a and
Toposa people, who have a history of feuding and cattle raiding.
In an attempt to eliminate further conflict, a peace conference was held in September 2009 in the
Lauro
Lauro is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy. It is located in lower Irpinia, in a woody valley. Sights include the remains of a 1st-century BC Roman ''thermae
In ancient Rome, (fro ...
payam in Budi County. The meeting was organized by the
Southern Sudan Peace Commission, chaired by Brigadier General
Louis Lobong Lojore
Louis Lobong Lojore is a South Sudanese Politician and a military governor in the rank of brigadier general in the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the current governor of Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan. He was the governor o ...
. Demarcation of traditional boundaries between the communities was seen as an essential step, to be undertaken by the government.
The communities also agreed to revive joint peace centres such as Miji, Ngauro, Kamulach, Kaliba,
Namorunyang, Nawoyapaka and Lochorkanyatom.
Economy
The region has poor communications. A herder in a location such as Mogos in the semi-arid Kapeota East may have to walk for three days to the nearest market in
Kapoeta
Kapoeta is a town in South Sudan. It is located in Kapoeta South County, in Eastern Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria State, in southeastern South Sudan.
Location
The town lies on the east bank of the Singaita River. The post at Kapoeta was establi ...
town to sell his cattle, with no guarantee of getting an acceptable price.
The Greater Kapoeta Cooperative Development Agency was set up in the late 2000s to assist with marketing.
In the run-up to the 2011 referendum on secession of South Sudan from
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
, staff had difficulty due to the long distances between centers, shortages of food and water, and problems getting people to register since they were busy with the harvest.
Following two years with poor rainfall, an April 2011 report by the Government of South Sudan stated that parts of Greater Kapoeta were in an acute food and livelihood crisis, with some risk of a humanitarian crisis if there was no improvement in the situation.
Insecurity in Greater Kapoeta had made it difficult for herders to access markets for essential supplies, and to sell livestock so they could acquire cereals.
Livestock were also suffering from outbreaks of disease, compounding the problem.
References
{{reflist
Eastern Equatoria