South Sudan – Uganda Presidents agree on bilateral issues
By Philip Thon Aleu
November 20, 2011 (KAMPALA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir announced agreement on seven issues of “mutual interest” with his Ugandan counterpart, President Yoweri Museveni, during a two day State visit to Kampala last week.
In a joint communiqué issued at the end of Kiir’s visit to Uganda – the first since South Sudan declared independence in July – the two leaders discussed and agreed to promote regional integration, strength trade and eliminate trade barriers and set up joint relevant ministerial committees by January 2012 to deal with borders issues and cross-border crime among others.
South Sudan became independent from north Sudan in July following a January referendum promised in 2005, and a peace deal that ended two decades of north-south conflict.
During South Sudan’s two decade civil war with north Sudan, Uganda hosted thousands of refugees from South Sudan, many of whom have remained despite South Sudan’s independence in July.
Speaking at a joint news conference on Friday November 18, the Ugandan President criticised Khartoum for mistakenly trying to manage Sudan as an Arab country despite the African identity of many of the people.
He said this policy and attitude had forced South Sudanese to vote for separation in January. Museveni also said, “Uganda will not tolerate” Khartoum intimidating the South Sudanese government by bombing locations within the south.
The UN and South Sudan accused Khartoum of bombing a refugee camp in South Sudan’s Unity state earlier this month. Reporters from the BBC and Reuters also witnessed the attack.
The US Ambassador to the UN described Khartoum’s attempts to deny the bombing as a “blatant lie.”
President Salva Kiir was received at the Uganda state house in Entebbe on Thursday with a 21 gunshots salute, a red carpet, and an inspection of a guard of honour.
During their bilateral discussions, the two leaders, according to a joint communiqué issued on 18 November, agreed to explore mobilisation of resources for implementation of joint programmes to strengthen bilateral cooperation by April 2012. They said the two countries will continue to exchange high level delegations to enhance consultations on issues of mutual interests.
President Kiir was accompanied by Emanuel Lo William, the minister in the office of the President, Grace Datiro, the deputy minister of foreign affairs and Gen. James Hoth Mai, Chief of General Staffs for South Sudan armed forces, the SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army).
In the discussions, Ugandan minister of defence Crispus Kiyonga, state minister for international cooperation and acting of foreign affairs Okello Oryem and state minister for regional cooperation Asuman Kiyingi joined Ugandan President.
(ST)