President Museveni has expressed willingness to participate in regional peace talks to end hostilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Minister of State for Regional Affairs John Mulimba has revealed.
Speaking before Parliament, Mulimba reaffirmed Uganda's commitment to a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing crisis, distancing the country from any involvement in the conflict.
He also assured MPs that no staff members were injured in the attack on Uganda's Embassy in Kinshasa.
"As we have said before, the problems of the Great Lakes Region cannot be resolved by military means. This approach has been tried before and has its limits, unnecessarily prolonging the resolution of conflicts. President Yoweri Museveni and the Government of Uganda remain available to participate in regional peace initiatives to ensure the cessation of hostilities as soon as possible," said Mulimba.
The government expressed concern over the humanitarian impact of the unrest, warning that Uganda, which already hosts over 560,000 Congolese refugees, could face additional pressure if the situation worsens.
"We are deeply concerned about the escalation of tensions in eastern DRC that have led to massive displacement of people with likely consequential pressure on Uganda," said Mulimba.
He described the DRC conflict as protracted and complex, fueled by ethnicity, citizenship disputes, mineral exploitation, economic interests, and youth unemployment.
The minister emphasised that Uganda does not support any armed groups operating in the DRC.
Mulimba defended the government's decision to suspend Uganda Airlines flights to Kinshasa, citing safety concerns.
"The decision to suspend Uganda Airlines flights to Kinshasa announced yesterday is prudent under the circumstances as we continue to monitor the fast-changing situation," he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also exploring ways to provide emergency consular services to Ugandans residing in DRC.
Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi criticized Mulimba's statement, arguing that it failed to address key diplomatic concerns, particularly DRC's refusal to accredit Uganda's Ambassador to Kinshasa, Farid Kaliisa, for the past four years.
"Unfortunately, there are critical elements that haven't been covered. Uganda's Ambassador to DRC hasn't been accredited for over four years. What is the Ministry doing about this?" asked Ssenyonyi.
He also questioned who is currently overseeing Uganda's diplomatic mission in DRC following the attack on the embassy.
Mulimba acknowledged the issue but defended the government's position, stating that the matter falls under Article 122(1) of the Constitution, which grants the President authority to appoint ambassadors with Parliament's approval.
"We have done our part. The matter is with the appropriate authorities," he said.
As Uganda pushes for a diplomatic resolution to the DRC conflict, questions remain over its strained diplomatic ties with Kinshasa and the potential impact of the crisis on regional stability.