Defence Minister Adolf Mwesige, UN Envoy Huang Xia Discuss Peace & Conflict Resolution In The Great Lakes Region

By Andrew Irumba

Mbuya, Kampala: The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, who also doubles as Bunyangabu County MP Hon. Adolf Kasaija Mwesige Apuuli has Monday met with the Special Envoy of the Secretary General for the Great Lakes Region, Mr. Huang Xia at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Mbuya, a Kampala surbub. The duo discussed various issues pertaining the UN Strategy on Peace Consolidation and conflict resolution in the Great Lakes region.

Mr. Huang also briefed the Minister on the ongoing preparations for the upcoming high level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.

Mr. Huang expressed high appreciation to Uganda towards the contribution of peacekeeping missions that are supported by the United Nations. 

Particularly, he thanked the UPDF leadership for the high level of professionalism exhibited by the forces in peacekeeping missions. He remarked that the Great Lakes Region and Africa at large still face challenges such as the fight against rebel groups like ADF which hinder the efforts by the UPDF troops towards Peacekeeping. 

Hon. Adolf Mwesige thanked the Special Envoy for the interactive meeting and said that the UPDF remains steadfast in repulsing any attempts or attacks made by the ADF informing him that the remnants had fled to eastern DRC. 

Mwesige said that under the leadership of the President, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Uganda has and will always embrace the Pan African ideology especially in Peacekeeping and UN Missions whenever called upon. Ideologies that birthed AMISOM and now East African Standby Force saying that African problems require home grown African solutions thus the successes of AMISOM in Somalia.

In conclusion, the Minister said that Uganda, alongside military solutions, had applied the Amnesty law that is dedicated to support, rehabilitate and reintergrate rebels who denounce rebellion.

In attendance were the UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Rosa Malango, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence and Vetaran Affairs, Mrs Rosette Byengoma, the Joint Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Joseph Musanyufu, and UPDF Spokesperson, Brig Gen Flavia Byekwaso.