Uganda to reduce UPDF troops in Somalia amid Al-Shabaab crackdown

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MOGADISHU, Somalia - Legislators from Uganda's Defense and Internal Affairs committee have arrived in Somalia to assess some of the challenges the Uganda People's Defense Forces [UPDF] is going through in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants, as part of the progressive assessment.

Defense minister in charge of veteran affairs Huda Abason Oleru is leading the delegation which includes committee Chairperson Rosemary Nyakikongoro and we're ushered in by deputy ambassador Maj Gen [Rtd] Nathan Mugisha and the outgoing UPDF Contingent Commander in Somalia; Brig Gen Keith Katungi.

In Somalia, the delegation is expected to sign at least 10 agreements on bilateral cooperation mainly anchored on the initial agreements that were agreed upon following the trip of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Uganda where he held a meeting with Yoweri Museveni.

Mugisha said the new memorandum of understanding would focus on the following areas; immigration, customs, bilateral air services, education and sports, standards, finance, banking, investment promotion, statistics, economic development, and culture.

“The 10 MOUs are expected by the end of the year by the ministries, agencies, and departments of government that did not sign them,” Mugisha said. He said the MOUs are important because in many areas of cooperation between the two countries there were no formal arrangements.

“There are 19,000 Somali students in Uganda and there is no document that covers them. We have many Uganda teachers in Somalia but there are formal arrangements to protect them in case any challenges arise,” Mugisha said as quoted by the Monitor.

According to him, the federal government of Somalia requested Uganda to continue providing security in the country even when the United Nations asked Troops Contributing Countries to reduce the number of peacekeeping mission officers in line with Somali Transition Plan [STP].

“The UN Security plan for troop reduction is not realistic but has to be implemented. We will make an evaluation of what will happen after the troops draw down. The troops cannot be in Somalia forever,” Mugisha said.

The two countries are also set to sign a Status of Forces Agreement [SOFA] to determine the position and the modus operandi of the UPDF in Somalia. The four MOUs were signed during the visit of Mohamud. They were on; diplomatic and political consultation, cooperation on defense, co-operation on trade and investment, and cooperation between the investment promotion agencies.

By the end of next year, he added, Uganda will comply with UN Resolution 2628 by reducing its troops number by 2,000 from about 5,000. This, he noted, is triggered by possibly donors reducing funding of troops in Somalia due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine

“Ugandans have to be courageous and take on the business opportunities available in Somalia. There are opportunities in the agro-based areas such as milk, dairy, fruits, sugar, minerals, and education,” Mugisha said.

GAROWE ONLINE

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