Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has called on Western countries to support DRC counterpart Joseph Kabila to concentrate on developing an ideology and building state institutions.
Museveni, who is on a three-day working visit in Holland, was meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Frans Timmemans at his residency at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Hague.
Museveni, who is the Chairperson of the ICGLR, said they are trying to make sure that Eastern Congo does not become a haven for terrorists.
“The idea is not to improve our CVs as having been President. The idea is the mission. If your country is sick what diagnosis do you have for it,” he said.
Minister Timmermans said his government highly appreciates President Museveni’s vision and efforts in Africa and in the Great Lakes region to bring peace and stability and pledged their support to more peace keeping initiatives.
He said there is need for a change of attitude in the western world to have more enthusiasm to know what is happening in Africa.
Local, regional issues
“Government highly appreciates your vision and efforts in Africa and the Great Lakes region to bring peace and stability. Change of attitude is necessary so that people here can be more enthusiastic about what is happening in Africa,” he said.
The two leaders discussed various local and regional issues including the situation in DRC and Somalia.
Museveni (pictured) called on Western countries not to focus on residual troubled spots when planning for Africa saying most of the continent is peaceful and secure with no war or the threat of potential war.
“There are some problems in Eastern Congo, Somalia and parts of North Africa but almost 70 per cent of Africa is peaceful with no possibility of war. When planning for companies to invest in Africa, don’t focus on troubled areas because those are residual,” he said.
Agencies