The European Union has pledged to meet the cost of mediation that will take place outside Burundi.
This has been revealed by the Head of the European Union(EU) delegation to Uganda Ambassador Kristian Schmidt.
“For the mediation, we are offering support to Uganda in shouldering the cost of the talks that will take place outside Burundi. This was the mandate given to Uganda by the EAC to bring together the opposition and civil society outside Burundi where conditions are conducive for constructive dialogue between the Burundian and it is that process that the EU is willing to support”, explained Amb Schmidt.
He was responding to earlier calls by the Defence minister Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga for help from the
Kiyonga was speaking on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni who was tasked by the East African Community to mediate between President Pierre Nkurunziza and the political opposition in Burundi.
Meanwhile the United Kingdom Minister for Africa at the foreign and common has called upon the African Union (AU) to intervene in the Burundi crisis “that is escalating” with hundreds of refugees evacuating the country.
“The United Kingdom will help the partners who will come out to save the situation as they have done in Somalia and we shall be meeting with other military partners very soon,”Mr Duddridge told journalists in Kampala shortly after a closed door round table discussion with state minister for disaster preparedness minister Musa Ecweru.
The two ministers met on Tuesday at the United Nations Higher Commissioner (UNHCR) offices in Kampala yesterday, to discuss the with the United Nations agencies on issues surrounding refugee support in Uganda.
Mr Duddridge added that the UK government has provided UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP with a total of 11.6million pounds (about Shs58 billion) in support of the refugee responses in Uganda this year alone.
The crisis that was sparked in April by protest against President Pierre Nkurunzinza’s bid for a third term in office has so far claimed an estimated 240 people and the number is expected to rise if the political crisis is not addressed urgently.
Story By Catherine Ageno
