President Museveni on Monday met newly elected Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), President, Félix Antoine Tshilombo Tshisekedi at Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa.
Museveni congratulated his DRC counterpart upon winning the election and inquired how office was ‘treating him’ before inviting him for discussions briefly.
Their discussion was centred around mutual agreement to enhance bilateral relations, on key matters pertaining to the common border, notably the ADF and ebola threat, which issues when eliminated are precursors to improved relations in other areas such as trade.
The leaders then concluded with the issue of ADF rebels which Museveni lamented was limited trade between the two nations.
However, Tshisekedi welcome Uganda to trade with Congo urging that "ADF is not a big problem which will be jointly and materially eliminated."
Before their meeting, President Museveni had indicated he was willing to work with DRC but the lack of security ‘that affects Congo and its neighbours’ stood in the way
‘I have been in touch with former President Kabila and now President Felix Tshisekedi about solving the problem of ADF and interahamwe. Even with insecurity trade is going on. We shall solve this,” he said.
President Museveni in October last year met Tshisekedi before the DRC elections, a sign that many political analysts said was an endorsement from the “lion of Africa’.
Museveni still in the meeting held at Entebbe State House made it clear to Tshisekedi that Uganda’s interests were to relate with DRC but on the background of an extinct ADF Militia group.