Uganda to continue supporting peace in South Sudan – Ambassador

Uganda Police medal pinning ceremony conducted at UN House Juba in South Sudan (Photo | Yahudu Kitunzi)

Uganda’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Brig Gen Ronnie Balya has said Uganda will continue to support peace-building, security and stability in South Sudan and the region at large using both bilateral and multilateral mechanisms.

Mr Balya, who was the Chief Guest at the Uganda Police medal pinning ceremony conducted at UN Juba House in South Sudan on Saturday said Uganda has over the years participated in handling regional and international security obligations.

He cited some of the countries Uganda has helped in security as; Somalia, Liberia, Central African Republic, DR Congo, and South Sudan among others.

“As we say in the military, ‘there are no bad soldiers, only bad commanders’. The conduct and performance of the soldiers in a given area-good or bad-is a reflection of the competence or incompetence of the commanders on the ground,” he said.

The Ambassador recommended that the United Nations leadership should continue to tap into the Uganda police force’s professionalism which has been built over several decades and is appreciated worldwide.

“Commissioner, please assign more duties and responsibilities to Uganda police. We have a huge pool of seasoned and experienced officers,” he said. 

He said Uganda and South Sudan have a lot in common. “We are one people but were unfortunately separated by colonial powers that balkanized Africa and put iron bars as barriers to divide our communities,” he said.

He said shortly iron bars will be dismantled and people will re-unite- the way the people of East Germany and West Germany broke down the wall between them and re-united into one strong Germany, as the cold war ended in 1991.

“These current boundaries should be used as bridges not barriers to trade and cooperation but to enhance peaceful co-existence of the border communities. It is a shame to see the same families at the border in Africa applying and paying for a Visa to visit each other during cultural functions and other activities,” he said. 

The Commissioner of United Nations Police (UNPOL) Christine Fosen in her speech read by Mr Murak Isik, Deputy Police Commissioner, said the officers completed eight months and eight days of stay in the mission.

She said the ceremony was held to honour Uganda Contingent of peacekeepers with the highly regarded United Nations medal for their committed service to bring peace in South Sudan.

“I would like to recognize your solidarity and much-needed support to South Sudan's people, especially the most vulnerable, in these precarious conditions. Congratulations to all the Uganda Contingent of peacekeepers for your noteworthy achievements,” Ms Fosen said.

She said Uganda has had a long journey in serving in Peacekeeping Operations starting from 1962 and participated in various UN missions such as in Liberia, East Timor, Kosovo, Darfur, Somalia, and South Sudan.

The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Abubaker Musiho, the Uganda Police Contingent Commander in South Sudan, said 15 Uganda police officers consisting of six females and nine males were awarded.