Sam Kutesa's speech during the opening of Rwanda- Uganda talks in Kigali
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Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:04 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:07 [INAUDIBLE]
00:09 with the Rwanda delegation and our host,
00:14 honorable ministers from Rwanda, colleagues,
00:20 ministers from Uganda, your excellency,
00:24 honorable Gilbert Kankonde Malamba,
00:29 deputy prime minister and minister
00:32 of interior security and customer affairs
00:35 for the Democratic Republic of Congo,
00:39 the honorable Emmanuel Ndomengo Sagusto,
00:44 minister of external relations of Angola,
00:49 heads of security agencies, your excellency, ambassadors
00:53 and high commissioners, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
01:02 I want to thank the government of Rwanda
01:05 for inviting me and my delegation
01:09 and for the facilities placed at our disposal for this meeting.
01:14 I wish to reiterate the appreciation of government
01:18 of Uganda to their excellency, the presidents of Angola
01:23 and the Democratic Republic of Congo
01:26 and their representatives here for their efforts
01:31 in assisting normalized relations between our two
01:35 brotherly countries, Uganda and Rwanda.
01:40 My delegation looks forward to fruitful discussions today
01:44 and working with the Rwanda delegation
01:47 on practical steps to normalize our relations
01:49 for the benefit of our two peoples
01:52 and the region as a whole.
01:55 Our discussions today should be anchored
01:57 on the two previous discussions of the commission
02:01 in Kigali and Kampala.
02:03 Uganda remains positive and with the expectation
02:08 that discussions here today will lead to concrete results.
02:14 Uganda's commitment to implementation of the Rwanda
02:18 Memorandum of Understanding of the 21st of August, 2019
02:24 and the Rwanda Communique of 2nd February, 2020
02:32 has remained firm as before.
02:36 Our approach and outlook in implementation
02:39 is comprehensive because we consider
02:41 all elements of these undertakings equally important.
02:46 On our part, since the Rwanda process began last year,
02:51 we have consistently demonstrated our best
02:54 intentions by the practical steps which we have taken
02:58 and the proposals we have made to implement
03:02 what has been agreed.
03:05 These steps, however, have not been always reciprocated.
03:11 On the list of Rwandans allegedly detained in Uganda,
03:15 I wish to recall that at our first meeting here in Kigali,
03:20 Rwanda was supposed to provide the list for verification,
03:23 but regrettably, that was never done.
03:26 Nevertheless, we carried on with--
03:30 we carried on and we have information
03:33 on the names and persons allegedly
03:35 detained on the basis of each diplomatic note received
03:39 from Rwanda.
03:42 In line with the Rwanda MOU and in the context
03:46 of normalization relations between the two countries,
03:49 as a gesture of goodwill, Uganda withdrew charges
03:53 against nine Rwandans that were undergoing prosecution
03:57 for various offenses, including, among others,
04:01 unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
04:05 On the 8th of January, 2020, the nine individuals
04:09 were handed over to immigration authorities
04:12 in the presence of the Rwandan High Commissioner to Uganda
04:16 for repatriation back to Rwanda.
04:18 I urge Rwanda to demonstrate the same spirit
04:25 and raise the concerns regarding the over 50 Ugandans
04:28 detainees in Rwanda.
04:30 The list of Ugandans known to be in detention
04:33 have been provided to Rwanda government.
04:37 On the issue of deportations, I wish
04:40 to reiterate that deportations from Uganda
04:44 are done in compliance with the law.
04:47 At our last meeting, I dispelled the myth
04:50 that Rwandans are just dumped at the border,
04:54 but because I elaborated the process
05:00 from the time of deportation request is made,
05:03 signed and deportees handed over.
05:06 I also expressed our readiness to share the evidence
05:11 to confirm the deportees that had been fully received
05:16 by Rwandan officials.
05:18 On unsubstantiated allegations of destabilization,
05:23 we have been repeatedly made by Rwanda.
05:26 Uganda has made a concrete proposal
05:29 of joint verification to address what
05:32 we consider severe allegations.
05:36 Joint verifications helps establish facts, build trust
05:40 and confidence on both sides.
05:42 I wish to underscore that the absence of joint mechanism
05:49 to verify allegations renders falsehoods persist
05:52 and makes follow-up implementation difficult.
05:57 On the extradition treaty, Uganda
06:00 made proposals on a ratified extradition treaty of 2005
06:06 between our countries.
06:08 We received counter-proposals from Rwanda
06:11 and have responded accordingly.
06:14 We propose that two Athenian generals meet
06:17 with a view to generating consensus on the issues pending
06:23 the signature of the same at an agreed date.
06:28 In the media, Uganda knows too well the role of the media.
06:34 The role the media has to play in creating
06:38 conducive environment for relations
06:41 between our two countries.
06:44 Uganda to this day has restrained its officials
06:49 and media from propagating hostile stories against Rwanda.
06:54 Regrettably, the media in Rwanda has
06:56 been relentless in hostile campaign against our country,
07:00 our government, and its leadership.
07:04 On the issue of free movement of persons and goods
07:07 and services, I wish to restate that consistent
07:12 with the Rwanda MOU and regional and other international
07:15 frameworks, Uganda's border has remained open to people, goods,
07:21 and services.
07:23 However, since the 28th of February, 2019,
07:28 Rwanda's border remains closed and the trade embargo
07:31 against Uganda remains in place to this date.
07:35 On protecting and respecting human rights of Rwandans
07:40 for Uganda, this has never been an issue.
07:44 The human rights of Rwandans are protected
07:46 like those of any other people in Uganda.
07:49 The facts speak for themselves.
07:51 The fact that Rwandans continue to travel to Uganda
07:54 day by day as before relies the narrative
07:59 that Rwandans are not safe in Uganda.
08:02 Rwandans feel free to run to Uganda as refugees.
08:06 Even Rwandans who get shot by Rwandan security services,
08:12 such as one that was shot in November, 2019,
08:15 feel safe to take refuge in Uganda.
08:18 Regrettably, Rwanda security personnel
08:22 have continued to kill Ugandans along the common border.
08:27 The latest incident was less than a month ago,
08:30 18th of January, 2020, when a Ugandan was shot dead
08:35 by Rwandan security personnel.
08:39 These actions do not only deny the individual the right
08:42 to life, but they negate the very spirit and efforts
08:47 for closer integration in the subregion
08:50 at normalizing bilateral relations.
08:54 We hope-- the hope and expectations of my delegation
09:02 is that this meeting reflects a new spirit
09:05 and achieve tangible outcomes.
09:08 We also hope that Uganda's concerns will
09:11 be understood and appreciated, and reciprocal action taken
09:14 by Rwanda.
09:16 Let me say that our heads of state
09:19 continue to talk through envoys and diplomatic channels,
09:25 and that we have reached a stage where
09:27 we must put a number of decisions into action.
09:33 The fourth Quadripartite Summit on the 21st of February, 2020
09:38 will be the culmination of the three meetings
09:41 of the ad hoc commission, which we have held.
09:45 I'm glad that our two advanced teams set up
09:50 to jointly prepare for the summit in Katuna, Gatuna,
09:54 have worked together well and are in good spirit.
09:58 The Ugandan delegation hopes the climax of the summit
10:03 will be the endorsement of tangible outcomes
10:06 from this meeting.
10:08 I want to thank you for your kind attention.
10:11 (dramatic music)