Deputy President visits Great Lakes

South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma’s visit to Uganda on Monday was part of a wider initiative to bring about solutions to the conflicts in the Great Lakes region, a spokeswoman for Zuma told IRIN on Tuesday.

“A lot of people have in the past expected South Africa to do more to help bring about peace in the Great Lakes,” Mathula Magubane said. “Many people think that South Africa is more neutral than many other countries.”

Zuma returned to South Africa on Monday night after meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Deputy President Speciosa Kazibwe.

“He [Zuma] had been in contact with the Uganda Deputy President and they felt that the time was right for a visit to Kampala.” Magubane said that Zuma would in the future also be meeting with other leaders in the region.

Political sources told IRIN that Zuma’s visit should not be seen as trying to replace former South African President Nelson Mandela as mediator in the Burundi conflict. “I think we have to view this visit as part of a broader initiative that includes the efforts of Mandela,” one political source said.

Meanwhile, Zuma told journalist at his official residency in Pretoria on Tuesday that he was “optimistic” that peace could be achieved in the Great Lakes region. “The meeting with President Museveni and Vice President Kazibwe was very fruitful. They have recommitted themselves to the content of agreements aimed at stopping the wars in the Great Lakes Region. There is a clear indication from all the interested parties that there is a need to move with speed in implementing ... agreements,” Zuma said.