South Africa will not take up the role of mediator in the peace process between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters at a weekly press briefing at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Pahad said South Africa received a letter from the LRA last week asking it to mediate the process.
”Our view is that the Vice-President of Sudan, Dr [Riek] Machar, is doing a very good job and there is no need for a new mediation team to come in,” Pahad said.
The Ugandan government and LRA agreed on Saturday to a truce aimed at bringing an end to a brutal 19-year conflict that has left thousands dead.
As it came into effect on Tuesday, Pahad said South Africa will not mediate but continue to be involved in the process.
”We will continuously talk to all sides to help the process that Dr Machar is managing, and we think managing well,” Pahad said.
Both sides agreed to lay down arms while negotiators work on a more detailed peace deal and permanent ceasefire to end what is one of Africa’s longest-running wars.
South Africa is already mediating in the peace processes in Burundi and Côte d’Ivoire.
South African National Defence Force troops are deployed as part of peace missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea and the Côte d’Ivoire. — Sapa