Uganda remains a cornerstone of stability in the region, says outgoing US Ambassador Malac
The outgoing US Ambassador, Deborah Malac has hailed Uganda on its role in being a cornerstone of stability in the region.
Speaking during her last press conference on Thursday, Malac said despite the region being a tough one, Uganda has continued to play a role in ensuring stability.
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“The region is a tough and difficult neighbourhood in eastern DRC, Sudan, South Sudan and Burundi but Uganda has continued brokering peace,”Malac said.
In 2007, Uganda was the first country to deploy troops in Somalia under the AMISOM and turned around what had for long been termed as a “mission dead on arrival.”
The Ugandan troops are deployed in Sector One in Benadir,(has 16 districts) Banadir, and Lower Shabelle regions having pushed Al Shabaab militants for over 200km away from Mogadishu city for normalcy to return to the capital where the militants roamed freely.
Malac will later this month leave the country as US Ambassador but also retire to private work after spending 39 years doing US public service, mainly in Africa.
She said that in her time, the US has supported the training, equipping and deployment of nearly 25000 Uganda military personnel to Somalia to help in improving regional security and stability.
Uganda has been at the forefront of fighting Allied Democratic Forces that have made life difficult in the volatile Eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo where they roam freely and have killed thousands of locals.
Uganda has also played an important role in brokering peace in the continent’s newest country, South Sudan.
When a civil war broke out in 2013 when rebels loyal to former rebel vice president, Dr.Riek Machar fought with Salva Kiir government forces, Uganda was at hand to deploy troops that averted the situation and saved a number of people from being killed.
Uganda has also facilitated the peace process in South Sudan leading to signing a ceasefire that led to formation of a transitional government.
The Kampala government has also been influential in ensuring peace in Burundi and Central African Republic.
The outgoing US Ambassador said her government will continue supporting Uganda’s efforts to ensure stability in the region.
“We will do everything we can to ensure Uganda remains stable so as to continue with efforts to provide support to other countries,”Malac said.
