President Yoweri Museveni has said fair elections where political actors rely on numbers and not tribes forces them to form alliances to get the numbers and helps bring unity. He said during civil wars, tribal wars sometimes occur.
“What is important is to have fair elections. Elections force people to unite to get numbers. Holding elections disciplines politicians, they are forced to make alliances to win elections since there is no tribe which has got more than 40 percent to win elections. It is also important to have a neutral interim government,” he said.
President Yoweri Museveni was today holding bilateral talks with His Excellency General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al – Burhan, the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of the Republic of the Sudan.
Gen. Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al-Burhan is in Uganda on a one day official visit at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation of Ministers and other Senior Government Officials.
On the bilateral relationship, President Museveni said the best thing is for the Joint Permanent Commission to meet and agree on what to do to improve trade be tween the two countries.
“We can export tea, coffee etc. We now have direct airline that can promote trade,” he said.
They agreed to reactivate the meetings of the Joint Ministerial Commission and Joint Political Consultative Committee and directed the Ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs to convene the 07th Session of the Joint Ministerial Commission; and the 5th Session of the Joint Political Consultations Committee, as soon as possible, with the view to taking stock of, and exploring, new areas of cooperation between the two countries and ensure the implementation of all outstanding Decisions, Agreements and MoUs.
On the regional issues, particularly the relationship between Ethiopia and Sudan, President Museveni said if there is peace in Africa, the problem of fighting over water would be solved saying the continent is gifted with large water sources including the Congo River. Each second the Congo River pours 1,200,000 cubic feet (34,000 cubic meters) of water into the Atlantic Ocean compared to Ethiopia’s Blue Nile waters which flow at an annual 3.85 billion cubic meters from Lake Tana that can be exploited. He said they had proposed an IGAD summit to handle these issues including South Sudan.
President Museveni congratulated H.E Gen. Al – Burhan, for his efforts towards ensuring peace and stability in the region and working towards a broad based and inclusive governance architecture in the Sudan.
Gen. Al – Burhan congratulated President Museveni upon his successful re-election as the President of the Republic of Uganda, and commended him for his outstanding leadership on matters of peace, security and stability in the region, and the socio-economic transformation of Uganda.
“We wanted to update you on the current situation in Sudan and consult with you on prospects and way forward using a chain of bilateral and multilateral relationships. You are very respected by the people of Sudan and appreciated for the leadership of your people. You have managed to lead your country and develop it,” he said.
Gen. Gen. Al – Burhan extended an invitation to the Ministry of Defence of Uganda to cooperate with their Counterparts in The Sudan.
The two Heads of State discussed current situation in the Sudan. They also exchanged views on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region and underscored the need to maintain peace, security and stability inclusive and sustainable development and socio- economic transformation of the region and Africa.
They reviewed the state of bilateral relations and observed that although a number of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding had previously been concluded between the two countries, their implementation had not been satisfactory largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gen. Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al – Burhan, expressed his gratitude, and appreciation to President Museveni, the Government and the peoples of the Republic of Uganda for the warm hospitality accorded to him and his delegation during the visit. He invited President Museveni to visit the Sudan in the near future and the invitation was gladly accepted.
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs Hon Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, Hon. John Mulimba, Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in-Charge of Regional Cooperation and other government officials.
