Govt Signs Agreement With France
Jun 19, 2003
UGANDA and France have signed a pact legalising the French-led multinational force’s use of Entebbe Airbase as the launching pad for troop deployment to curb the bloody inter-ethnic violence that has gripped Bunia.
By Alfred Wasike
UGANDA and France have signed a pact legalising the French-led multinational force’s use of Entebbe Airbase as the launching pad for troop deployment to curb the bloody inter-ethnic violence that has gripped Bunia.
Bunia is the capital of the troubled Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Signing the State Of Forces Agreement (SOFA) on Wednesday in Kampala, the French ambassador to Uganda, Jean-Bernard Thiant, hailed Uganda for not waiting for the SOFA to allow the Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) use its bases.
Thiant declined to give details about the Bunia-bound French aircraft shot at by suspected Lendu militia on Tuesday.
He did not reveal how much Uganda would be paid for allowing the IEMF to use its territory but said, “We have not agreed on that yet. Maybe later, maybe part of the airbase destroyed during Operation Artemis might be repaired. I don’t know yet.â€
The foreign affairs ministry director for international cooperation, Ambassador James Mugume, signed on Uganda’s behalf.
He said Uganda “attaches high importance to this agreement because the IEMF is a force desirous of filling the void that resulted from the UPDF’s withdrawal from Ituri.â€
The IEMF was mandated by the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1484 of May 30, 2003 and were to use Entebbe Airbase as their launching pad for “Operation Artemisâ€.
The operation aims at stabilising the volatile situation in Ituri.
According to the deal, the IEMF will be charged for aircraft servicing at Entebbe airbase, the use of navigational aids, parking space and landing fees among other things. Ends
UGANDA and France have signed a pact legalising the French-led multinational force’s use of Entebbe Airbase as the launching pad for troop deployment to curb the bloody inter-ethnic violence that has gripped Bunia.
Bunia is the capital of the troubled Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Signing the State Of Forces Agreement (SOFA) on Wednesday in Kampala, the French ambassador to Uganda, Jean-Bernard Thiant, hailed Uganda for not waiting for the SOFA to allow the Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) use its bases.
Thiant declined to give details about the Bunia-bound French aircraft shot at by suspected Lendu militia on Tuesday.
He did not reveal how much Uganda would be paid for allowing the IEMF to use its territory but said, “We have not agreed on that yet. Maybe later, maybe part of the airbase destroyed during Operation Artemis might be repaired. I don’t know yet.â€
The foreign affairs ministry director for international cooperation, Ambassador James Mugume, signed on Uganda’s behalf.
He said Uganda “attaches high importance to this agreement because the IEMF is a force desirous of filling the void that resulted from the UPDF’s withdrawal from Ituri.â€
The IEMF was mandated by the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1484 of May 30, 2003 and were to use Entebbe Airbase as their launching pad for “Operation Artemisâ€.
The operation aims at stabilising the volatile situation in Ituri.
According to the deal, the IEMF will be charged for aircraft servicing at Entebbe airbase, the use of navigational aids, parking space and landing fees among other things. Ends