Uganda threatens to withdraw troops from Somalia

By Godfrey Olukya 3-11-2012

Uganda government has delivered to UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon a protest message on false accusations against Uganda in UN Group expert report on Democratic Republic of Congo.

The country has threatened to withdraw her troops from peace-keeping mission in Somalia if it is not exonerated of aiding M 23 rebels.

The reports incriminates Uganda and Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels who have been fighting Congolese government troops in eastern part of the country.

Uganda’s former special envoy to UN, and currently minister of Information and communications technology, Ruhakana Rugunda who is currently in New York, has reportedly 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.

According to a statement released by Uganda government in Kampala, Rugunda has held meetings with he Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, who received the message on behalf of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. He has also met The President of the UN Security Council, ambassador H. S. Puri of India on November 2, 2012;

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 and Central africa republic 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.

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