Uganda-DR Congo talks hit snag

By Acan Proscovia

EFFORTS by Ugandan and Congolese officials to solve the border dispute have again hit a snag. This was after the two countries failed to agree on a common position.

The stand-off led to the closure of the border point at Vurra in Arua district a couple of weeks ago after the Congolese extended the border line at Vurra customs post by about 300m into Ugandan territory and erected some structures.

The Ugandan delegation led by the ambassador to DR Congo, James Kinobe, who was visibly disappointed after the discussions were futile said interest by other people had affected the negotiations.

“The symptoms of the problem have been there for a very long time and that is why the presidents in Ngurudoto had agreed to leave the people to stay where they were until the technical committee works out the methods of marking out the borders to indicate where they stop” he said.

He appealed to the Kinshasha government to prevail over Congolese authorities in the disputed area who he said have fear in enforcing the resolutions.

The major problem I see here is that on the Congolese side, the government has failed to prevail over the ordinary people” he added.

In the heated meeting also attended by the Mahagi area MP Pierrot Uweka, the Congolese said they will not remove the barrier but insisted that Uganda opens its border.