Uganda: A Uganda Embassy in Somalia is Necessary

EDITORIAL
8 June 2007
Posted to the web 8 June 2007

Writing in Daily Monitor on June 5 (See, "Oportunity in Somalia"), Capt. Paddy Ankunda made an impassioned plea for Uganda to open an embassy in that war-torn country, a cause we fully support.

A little background is necessary. When south Sudan came under the semi-autonomous control of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) many Ugandans were enthusiastic about the trade cooperation prospects waiting for us to pick off. It never happened. Instead, in the intervening period, more and more reports of small time Ugandan business people being harassed by elements of the establishment kept on turning up.

In the meantime, other countries that had not had any of their citizens shed blood in support of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) were seen to be enjoying favoured status. This must have confused those who paid the direct price for Uganda's sympathy for the SPLA -- those who bore the brunt of Lord's Resistance Army rebellion that was supported by Khartoum in rataliation.

Millions of our fellow Ugandans have endured a miserable life because of that proxy war; the sad evidence of the internally displaced persons camps is eloquent enough.

Only after drawn-out interventions at different levels have the reports of undue frustration and harassment of Ugandans in south Sudan reduced to a trickle. Now, therefore, Capt. Ankunda, who is the spokesman for the UPDF unit that forms the only contingent of the African Union mission is Somalia, has informed us of the business opportunities that await in Mogadishu.

Note that in spite of all the rhetoric about pan-Africanism, only Uganda is in there, again having the blood of its citizens shed in the line of duty.

We think that it is only fair that our long relationship with the large Somali community that now calls Uganda home should be extended. Many Ugandans are doing business with Somali nationals and vice versa. This is one opportunity that must not be allowed to slip through the national fingers. Once we have a diplomatic mission on the ground it will be that much more easier to get things moving.

It it will be a shame for others to waltz in and take the best trade cooperation and other contracts after the Uganda People's Defence Forces contingent has stabilised Somalia.

However, this is not to suggest that Uganda's principle intention in helping the Transitional Federal Government get Somalia back on its feet is mercenary. We are only amplifying what our men on the ground have said.