By ESTHER NAKKAZI
While at least $80 million has been pledged by different donor countries, the European Union has confirmed reimbursement of $7.6million (€5.4 million) to Uganda and Burundi countries that have contributed troops to the mission. The EU has also promised a package of €30 million to support Amisom operations that will be disbursed in the first half of this year.
These developments give an incentive to other countries to join the mission, particularly Mali and Nigeria, and encourage those already in the mission to commit more troops. Uganda has already committed itself to sending more troops to Somalia after confirmations of the donor funding was announced.
Currently, just over 5,000 troops from Burundi and Uganda have been deployed, leaving a deficit, of between 10,000 and 15,000. Countries like Djibouti that had pledged immediate deployment are yet to do so.
After Italy’s recent offer to provide resources and training to Amisom and Somali government forces, Uganda military authorities said they were ready to deploy over 8,000 troops to Somalia. Edward Katumba Wamala, commander of the land force in Uganda’s army confirmed that the country contribute more troops.
The announcement came after Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Franco Frattin’s visit to Uganda. Mr Frattin held talks with President Yoweri Museveni and subsequently told journalists in Kampala that Italy’s coast guard would also train a specialised force of the Somali Transitional Federal Government and Amisom in Uganda and Kenya.
Source: The East African