Uganda’s defense minister has held talks with the UN Sanctions Committee about smuggling of gold in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 

Crispus Kiyonga

A military statement issued here on Saturday said Crispus Kiyonga, minister of defense met Dina Kawar, UN Permanent Representative of Jordan and the Chair of UN 1533 Sanctions Committee on Thursday.

Kiyonga told Kawar and his assistant chair Samar Naber that Uganda has played a role in helping to curb the smuggling of gold in the mineral rich eastern DRC.

“Uganda government has done all that is possible to cooperate in the fight against gold smuggling in the DRC,” Kiyonga said.

He said that the lack of adequate protection of natural resources in eastern DRC encourages negative forces to exploit the natural resources illegally and finance their illegal and terrorism activities using the natural resources.

Kiyonga called on the UN and the international community to assist the DRC and the region to conclusively eliminate the negative forces from the region.

The officials also discussed the arrest of Jamil Mukulu, a rebel leader of the Allied Democratic Force, a Ugandan rebel group holed up in eastern DRC.

Kiyonga said Mukulu would soon be extradited to Uganda from Tanzania where he was arrested.

The statement did not give the mission of the UN Sanctions Committee meeting Kiyonga