President Yoweri Museveni has met with the supremo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, who called on him at State House Entebbe yesterday.
Maurer, who was accompanied by Mr Zoran Jovanovic, the Head of the ICRC delegation in Uganda, said he called on President Museveni to hear his perspective concerning the situation in South Sudan, adding that as a humanitarian organisation, ICRC wanted to establish progress of the peace process as well as the confidence building measures that are being applied to unite the warring factions in Africa’s newest state.
Mr Maurer, who visited South Sudan said the country was ICRC’s second largest operation worldwide after Syria, and that the organisation was worried about the impact of the conflict on its people.
Maurer lauded Museveni and the people of Uganda for the good reception and treatment of refugees. The ICRC official also lauded Museveni for his engagement in regional peace processes, pledging that his organisation would continue to provide logistics and support refugees.
On his part President Museveni told the delegation of his efforts to reconcile the mainstream SPLA/M party with the breakaway factions, and that meetings have been held to this end.
“Discussions are on-going to implement what was agreed in these meetings. A critical minimum in stability will be achieved, now that the factions of President Salva Kirr and Mrs Garang are talking,” Museveni said.
Museveni assured the ICRC officials that the peace process was progressing well and that he was confident that the agreements signed in Kampala will act as major building block on restoring peace in the country that has had over a million of its people flee to Uganda as refugees.
Mr. Museveni opined that although there is war, “humanitarian organisations need to offer support to farmers in the more stable areas, so that you are not only providing relief items/food but also building capacity.” He also said there was need for agencies to provide seeds and farm implements.
