Uganda, Egypt vie to host AU conflict centre

Uganda and Egypt are currently in contention to host the African Union Centre for Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Uganda and Egypt are currently in contention to host the African Union Centre for Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development.Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa (pictured) told reporters, yesterday, that officials from the African Union secretariat had arrived in the country to assess Uganda’s readiness to host the centre."Consultations are on-going, and a team from the AU is arriving today (yesterday) to look at the facilities we are offering to host the centre in Jinja,” he said.James Mugume, the Permanent Secretary in Uganda’s Foreign Affairs ministry said that the country’s experience in managing post conflict situations in northern Uganda and its location in the conflict ridden Great Lakes region qualifies it to host the centre.Meanwhile Kuteesa also said that Uganda is now competing with Cameroon for the post of President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 69th session (2014 – 2015)."This will be Africa’s turn to provide a President and I have been nominated to fill the position if our bid succeeds,” Kuteesa said.The successful candidate will be replacing 37-year-old Serbian Vuk Jeremic.   The 193-member General Assembly is where discussions on international issues take place and is the world body’s supreme organ where members, at least in theory, have equal voice.