The state visit today by President Pierre Nkurunzinza is expected to focus, among others, on the future of the African Union peace keeping mission in Somalia [AMISOM] composed of Ugandan and Burundian forces according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nkurunzinza’s visit comes on the heels of continued fighting in Somalia between the Al Shabaab, radical Islamist fighters and the A.U supported transitional government of President Sheriff Sheikh Ahmed.
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday extended the mandate of AMISOM for another nine months and pledged over 200 million dollars in logistical support which could allow the deployment of additional troops by other countries military sources said.
“The African Union will not bolt and run. We see AMISOM staying longer inevitably until the security situation improves and allows for the force to transition into a fully fledged United Nations peace keeping force” said Army and Defence Spokesman Maj Felix Kulayigye yesterday.
AMISOM’s which protects key installations like the Presidential Palace, airport and sea port is mandated to defend itself only when attacked but not allowed to get involved in the fighting. It has seen an increase in attacks from Islamists in the current spate of fighting.
In an interview yesterday morning en route to a technical meeting with an advance delegation of Burundian government representatives Ambassador James Mugume of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said regional security would be high on the agenda of the Nkurunzinza’s visit.
“We signed a framework agreement for cooperation but under the present circumstances Somalia is an issue” Mugume said. He added that the Ugandan and Burundian peace keepers had “strong support” from Inter-governmental Authority on Development, a regional grouping which recently proposed sanctions on neighboring Eritrea for aiding Al-Shabaab.
Eritrea has however dismissed the proposed sanctions which include an arms embargo and no fly zones and said the African Union was an “irrelevant organization”.
Mugume said the UN resolution extending the mandate of AMISOM created conditions for other countries to intervene in Somalia. He also said Uganda and Burundi would during Nkurunzinza’s visit hold bilateral meetings on trade and other cooperation.
“Uganda is benefiting from a peace dividend in Burundi which is now a significant destination for goods from Uganda” he said.
President Yoweri Museveni was the convener of the Burundi initiative, a series of political negotiations which over the last half decade has seen constitutional reform and consensus between various competing armed groups in Burundi as well as the return to political party competition there.
Nkurunzinza will end his visit on May 30. While here he is expected to visit Ugandan industries and other institutions.
“He will visit Makerere University and interact with business promotion agencies like the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce” Mugume said.
Source: Daily Monitor
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