4th Quadripartite Summit: Presidents Meet at Closed Katuna Border

By Kampala Post Reporter

President Yoweri Museveni has held a meeting with his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, João Lourenço of Angola and Felix Tshilombo Tshisekedi of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The meeting was held on Friday at Katuna Border on the sidelines of the 4th Quadripartite Summit, agreed on by the four heads of state in the Angola’s Capital Luanda, two weeks ago. “We have successfully held a meeting on the sidelines of the fourth Quadripartite Heads of State Summit 2020 at Katuna/Gatuna border,” Museveni said, adding that the Presidents would address a press conference shortly.

Angola’s Joao Lourenco and DRC’s Tshisekedi have since last year been mediating efforts aimed at restoring the broken ties between Uganda and Rwanda. The once friendly neighbours have for over a year been in dispute, with Rwanda closing its border with Uganda at Katuna last February. The Rwandan authorities accuse Uganda of harassing its citizens.

The Kagame government also accuse Uganda of supporting Rwandan dissidents, giving them base to destabilize the country. Uganda has since denied the accusations and instead accusing Rwandan citizens of engaging in activities that destabilize Uganda’s security, the reason they were arrested and prosecuted, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa.

Meanwhile since the first Quadripartite Summit in Luanda in August, both Rwanda and Uganda have pledged commitment to ending hostilities. Although Katuna border reopening, as one of the key resolutions of the meetings is yet to be achieved, both countries have at least released citizens in each other’s detention.

Uganda has in the months of January and February freed a total of over 20 Rwandan nationals detained for crimes including possession of firearms, espionage and illegal repatriation of refugees among others.

In respect of the Quadripartite Summit resolutions, Rwanda also freed some of the Ugandan detainees early this week.