LUANDA – Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have signed a pact in Angola aimed at ending months of tensions that saw the two neighbours accusing each other of espionage, political killings and attacks on trade.
The two leaders were once close allies but have recently faced off in a series of disputes that many feared could threaten regional stability and economic integration.
The enmity led to the closure of an important commercial crossing in February this year.
According to a statement issued after Wednesday’s signing ceremony in Luanda, the two presidents agreed to respect each other’s sovereignty and that “of the neighbouring countries”.
They also undertook to “refrain from actions conducive to destabilisation or subversion in the territory of the other party (and) acts such as the financing, training and infiltration of destabilising forces”.
“I joined my counterparts from Angola, DR Congo, Rwanda and Congo Brazzaville in Luanda, as together with President Paul Kagame, we signed an agreement to improve the political and economic relations between our countries.” President Museveni noted.
He said: “We have agreed on a raft of issues that will be implemented between our two countries, largely meant to improve our security, trade, and political relations.”
Museveni also said that Uganda is fully committed to enforcing this agreement.
“I thank Presidents; Joao Lourenco of Angola and Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo for overseeing this process,” he added thanking Congo’s president His Excellency Dennis Sassou Nguesso for witnessing the signing as Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
