Museveni in UK for conference on Somalia

President Museveni was received by Lord Dolar Popat (R), a member of the UK House of Lords, and others. (Credit: PPU)

LONDON - President Yoweri Museveni arrived in London, UK on Wednesday for a two-day working visit.

During his time there, he will attend and address the Somalia Conference due to take place at the Lancaster House on Thursday.

He is accompanied by his wife Janet, who is the Minister of Education and Sports.

The Ugandan leader was received by Lord Dolar Popat, a member of the UK House of Lords; Peter West, the UK High Commissioner to Uganda, Uganda's High Commissioner to the UK Prof. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda and the Minister of Local Government Adolf Mwesige.

Today, the President Museveni will hold a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May focusing on South Sudan and Somalia before both leaders attend the opening ceremony of the London Somalia Conference at Lancaster House.

He is also expected to hold various bilateral meetings including with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Boris Johnson.

Uganda was the first country to deploy troops under AMISOM into Somalia in March 2007. So far, the East African nation has provided all four AMISOM Force Commanders with the recent outgoing being Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti who was replaced by Lt. Gen. Silas Ntigurirwa from Burundi.

The Ugandan contingent remains the largest contingent in AMISOM with 6,223 troops based in Sector 1 which comprises of Banadir (Mogadishu), Middle and Lower Shabelle regions.

Until now, Uganda has deployed 12 battle groups into the Mission area. The recently deployed Battle Group 12 joined their Burundian counterparts in Baidoa.