Uganda has no desire to keep its troops on South Sudan soil longer than it is necessary and will gradually withdraw them in compliance with the African Union proposal for the deployment of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis (ACIRC) in the new nation, its foreign affairs minister said.
“The deployment of ACIRC in South Sudan will facilitate Uganda’s progressive withdrawal and/or redeployment”, Sam Kuteesa said in a statement.
The AU Peace and Security, he added, was expected to meet at an appropriate time, to work out modalities for deployment of ACIRC in South Sudan before the countries that have voluntarily pledged capacity to ACIRC may then provide such support.
“We believe that the deployment of ACIRC is the most logical way to withdraw from South Sudan, without leaving a security vacuum that that can be taken advantage of,” Kuteesa further said.
“We further believe that a political solution will bring about lasting and sustainable peace to this young and sisterly Nation of South Sudan”, he added.
Uganda deployed a contingent of its troops in South Sudan after the outbreak of violence in the country on December 15 last year. Its involvement in the conflict has, however, been widely criticised with the the latest being the United States demanding immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops fighting in the conflict.
But Uganda’s involvement in the over two-month conflict is guided by a Status of Forces Agreement both Khartoum and Juba governments signed at the behest of the latter.
sudantribune
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