No buying weapons from North Korea, says minister

Minister. Henry Okello Oryem

KAMPALA- Uganda has stopped purchasing weapons from North Korea following various United Nations comprehensive UN arms embargo that prohibits the exports and imports to and from the country.
State Minister for International Relations Okello Oryem, at the weekend, said Uganda has stopped training of Uganda Air Force pilots by the North Koreans.

The minister was responding to a report by Institute for Security Studies (ISS), a South African-based human security enhancement organisation, saying African countries have maintained trade and diplomatic and trade relations with North Korea despite the sanctions.

“Following UN sanctions, we have disengaged with North Korea in areas the UN sanctions apply. But our policy is that no one can choose for us friends. We choose our friends and enemies,” the minister said.

Africa-North Korea relations
“Many African states maintain diplomatic and commercial relations with North Korea despite increased United Nations (UN) sanctions and international condemnation of the country’s ballistic and nuclear weapons programmes,” the report says
Uganda was last year listed among the top five close allies of North Korea by the British intelligences.

Uganda agrees
But last year when the South Korean President visited Uganda, Kampala agreed to comply with United Nations sanctions to stop military cooperation.

The ISS report also says most African states have refrained from “explicitly condemning North Korea’s nuclear weapon- and delivery system-related activities” as a threat to international peace and security, with only South Africa and Egypt consistently proving to be the exception.