Uganda Formally Responds To UN Report
Uganda's then minister for health and current prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda addresses a press conference
Uganda has formally registered her disappointment with the United Nations over Last month’s experts’ report that accused her and Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels currently causing mayhem in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The report that leaked to news agency Reuters accused Rwanda of arming the group while Uganda on its part was faulted for hosting its leaders.
The two East African nations have since denied any involvement in the last two weeks that have seen the relationship between the world body and the former strained.
Responding to the damning report, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni recently ordered a withdraw of Uganda’s troops from Somalia where they have been serving on a UN sanctioned mission to pacify the horn of Africa nation.
This is in addition to sending a delegation to the UN to register Uganda’s anger.
Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Special Envoy and Minister of Information and Communications Technology, who is currently in New York, on Friday delivered a message from the Government of Uganda expressing disappointment and grave concern about the false accusations against Uganda in the report of the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in meetings he has held with The Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Jan Eliasson, who received the message on behalf of the UN Secretary-General H.E. Ban Ki-moon, on November 1, 2012 The President of the UN Security Council, Ambassador H. S. Puri of India on November 2, 2012 The Representatives of Security Council members: South Africa, Azerbaijan, France, Togo, China, Russia, and United Kingdom.
The Government stressed that it was unacceptable to malign Uganda’s contribution to regional peace and security by alleging that it supports the M23 group. Uganda’s involvement in seeking a solution to the situation in Eastern DRC was at the express request of both the DRC Government and the UN Secretary General, and in its capacity as Chair of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
The Government informed that Uganda’s withdrawal from regional peace efforts, including Somalia, CAR would become inevitable unless the UN corrects the false accusations made against Uganda, by bringing out the truth about Uganda’s role in the current regional efforts.
The President of the Security Council, Ambassador H. S. Puri, said that the report is yet to be considered by the Sanctions Committee concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He added that views expressed by the independent experts do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations.
Ambassador Puri also noted that Uganda, as an important troop-contributing country, is playing a significant role in the maintenance of peace and security in several countries, particularly in Somalia.
Hon. Rugunda is due to meet the President of the UN General Assembly, and the remaining Representatives of the Security Council members: United States of America, Germany, Pakistan, Guatemala, Colombia, Morocco, and Portugal next week.
Uganda’s delegation comprises Lt. General Katumba Wamala, Commander of the Land Forces, UPDF, and Senior Government Officials.
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Yes the UN needs to respect us, we are sacrificing our blood for peace yet they are accusing us of arming those rebels with out intention.
UN must revise its report and apologize.