Mugwo Payam Hosts Security Dialogue on Civil-Military Cooperation in Yei County

(YEI) – Authorities in Yei River County held a high level security meeting at the Mugwo Payam headquarters on Saturday, aiming to strengthen coordination between government forces and local communities in addressing ongoing security and development concerns.

The meeting lasted one day and brought together top officials including Yei River County Commissioner Emmanuel Taban Seme, the County Executive Director, senior South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) officers, police leadership, security agents, the Director of Mugwo Payam, local chiefs, women representatives and other key stakeholders.

Commissioner Taban explained that the meeting was part of a wider security coordination strategy in the county. He said the decision to decentralise the dialogue to Mugwo was deliberate, allowing authorities to engage more directly with residents in the area and understand their concerns more effectively.

“This is part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen the relationship between security forces and civilians,” Taban said during the discussions. “We want to ensure that challenges affecting this Payam are heard and tackled jointly.”

He reported that the overall security situation in Mugwo remains stable. Local markets are functioning normally, which he described as a positive sign of peace and resilience among the population.

The Commissioner encouraged the Director of Mugwo Payam, Latio Nowel, to continue building trust with local communities, emphasising the importance of inclusive leadership, community participation and consistent communication between citizens and authorities.

The meeting in Mugwo is the latest in a series of security engagements by the Yei River County administration aimed at promoting peace, good governance and public cooperation across all Payams.

Yei River County has faced intermittent insecurity in recent years due to armed group activity and displacement.

While the meeting did not announce any new financial pledges, community representatives called for improved access to basic services, including health care, education and road infrastructure.

They stressed that sustainable peace depends on meaningful investment in development alongside ongoing security collaboration.