Respect London accord

UGANDA AND Rwanda appear to have patched up their differences following the London meeting on Tuesday between President Museveni and President Kagame chaired by the British development minister Clare Short. The communiqué issued late on Tuesday night spoke of ‘fruitful and frank’ discussions and committed both countries to a joint extradition treaty, to end harbouring each other’s dissidents, and to work together to develop regional security and investment. The root of the problem is that both Rwanda and Uganda believe that the other country has been training its rebels. Rwanda has been alleging for years that Uganda is training the Interahamwe at secret camps in western Uganda. Recently, Uganda has claimed that Rwanda has provided training camps for Cols Mande and Kyakabale in Rwanda and Kivu. The problem started when Rwandan dissidents including soldiers fled to Uganda. Some were relocated by the UNHCR but others stayed in Uganda with refugee status. This upset Rwanda and prompted them to support Mande and Kyakabale. The London agreement resolves this problem by providing for an extradition treaty for criminal runaways as well as an understanding that all other dissidents will be referred to the UNHCR. Allegations of external interference will be subject to investigation and verification. The two presidents also agreed to work jointly on establishing regional security in Congo and elsewhere. The London agreement should be the basis for a peaceful and productive future between the two countries. In this sense it is truly ‘fruitful’. However both countries will have to show good faith and abide by the spirit as well as the letter of the London agreement for it to succeed.