Uganda to strengthen relations with other African states
President Museveni while meeting his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame at the Sheraton Hotel, Addis Ababa. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- The neighboring countries seem to have ignored issues concerning elections but rather concentrated on matters relating to regional peace and stability.
- Uganda is host to about one million South Sudanese refugees who keep crossing into the northern part of the country fleeing from series of fighting that has time and again broken out between the Juba establishment and other forces.
Kampala: President Museveni used the recently concluded African Union Ordinary Summit in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia to hold meetings with other leaders with an aim of strengthening the existing relations.
Mr Museveni on Monday held meetings with Presidents Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Joao Lourenco of Angola, Felipe Jacinto Nyusi of Mozambique, Salva Kiir of South Sudan and Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed of Somalia.
On Tuesday, Mr Museveni held another bilateral meeting with Paul Kagame, the new AU Chairperson, at the Sheraton Hotel, Addis Ababa.
During the separate meetings, Mr Museveni said in tweets that he and his counterparts discussed issues of cooperation in areas of peace, security, trade, economic and political relations.
Mr Museveni and his Somali’s counterpart discussed regional security and the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, AMISOM.
“With President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed of Somalia, we discussed regional security and issues pertaining to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, AMISOM,” Mr Museveni said in a tweet.
Uganda contributes the highest number of troops to the AMISOM that is helping to stabilize the horn of African nation from being overrun by Islamic militants, Al-Shaabab.
President Museveni discussed political, trade and foreign relations with his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco.
It was the first time President Lourenco was attending the AU summit after being elected in September last year to replace Jose Eduardo dos Santos who had ruled the country for 38 years.
Mr Museveni said that the two countries agreed to strengthen the existing relations.
“Uganda and Angola will work to strengthen political, trade and foreign relations. This was the gist of my discussion with H.E. Joao Lourenco when we held a bilateral meeting today in Addis Ababa.” Mr Museveni tweeted.
Uganda and Angola have been working together on the same issues following a memorandum of understanding the two nations signed in February 2014.
The bilateral agreement at that time was signed by Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa and his then Angolan counterpart George Chicote at the ministry’s headquarters in Kampala.
A few days after he told United Nations Secretary General António Guterres that there is need for elections in South Sudan, President Museveni met with the youngest nation’s leader Salvar Kiir.
The neighboring countries seem to have ignored issues concerning elections but rather concentrated on matters relating to regional peace and stability.
Uganda is host to about one million South Sudanese refugees who keep crossing into the northern part of the country fleeing from series of fighting that has time and again broken out between the Juba establishment and other forces.
Meeting the embattled South African leader Jacob Zuma, the two presidents signed an agreement for the two countries to work together on matters of security, defence and peace.
“After meeting @SAPresident we signed an agreement on defence, peace and security cooperation between Uganda and South Africa.” The President tweeted again.
The President also revealed how he had thanked Mozambique for their help during Uganda’s liberation struggles of the 1970s as he held talks with President Nyusi.
