By Our Reporter
The United Nations (UN) has withdrawn its proposal to shift its regional service center from Uganda to neighboring Kenya, a government official said on Thursday.
Parliament on Wednesday adopted the motion to have the United Nations Regional Service Centre retained in Uganda. President Museveni wrote to Secretary General Antonio Guterres in protest of the move, describing it as unfair.
The legislators argued that it would be unfair to Uganda since the country has contributed to various peace missions around Africa and also hosts thousands of refugees from neighboring countries.
Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda told the legislators that Museveni had written to Guterres expressing his concern over the proposal.
The base was established at Entebbe International Airport in July 2010, 40 km South of the Capital Kampala after Uganda and the UN signed a memorandum of understanding in July, according to Uganda’s foreign ministry.
The ministry said the base is used to provide services to UN field missions in Africa. It currently provides administrative, logistics and information and communications technology services to 13 missions in Africa, representing over 73 percent of all United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions worldwide.
The base is the hub for all administrative, logistical, information and communications technology services to missions in Africa. It is supported by 427 approved staff, including 134 international staff, 285 Ugandan staff and eight United Nations volunteers.
