Djibouti to deploy troops in Somalia

AUGUST 15, 2009 (THE NEW VISION)-  DJIBOUTI soldiers will soon join their Ugandan and Burundian counterparts on the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia.

Djibouti’s foreign affairs minister Mahomoud Ali Youssouf was in Kampala this week to discuss the arrangements with his Ugandan counterpart, Sam Kutesa.    

The ministry’s spokesperson, Sam Guma, on Thursday said Djibouti agreed to send troops but did not commit herself to the numbers.    

“The ministers explored the possibility of Djibouti contributing towards supporting the Ugandan and Burundian troops that are already keeping peace in Somalia,” he said.    

There are 4,300 peace-keepers in Somalia, of whom 2,700 are Ugandan. The Uganda Government has continuously called upon other AU members to deploy in Somalia.    

Uganda is in Somalia on behalf of the AU and the United Nations Security Council, on a peacekeeping mission.

Kutesa said without control of Somalia, extremists would traffic arms through the country, threatening the region’s stability.

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