The government of North Korea has concluded plans to close its embassy in Uganda, a move which will see it end a half of a century of diplomatic presence in one of its longest-standing African allies.
The move was made public yesterday, after a meeting between Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and North Korean ambassador Jong Tong Hak.
A statement from the Ugandan presidency, which was sighted by Africa Today News, New York, said: ‘Ambassador Jong informed the president that North Korea has taken a strategic measure to reduce the number of embassies in Africa, Uganda inclusive, in order to increase efficiency of the country’s external institutions.’
‘Our good friendship will continue and will be further strengthened and developed,’ Mr Jong was quoted as saying.
Read Also: Uganda Airlines Commences Direct Flights To Nigeria
Africa Today News, New York recalls that North Korea forged links with Uganda shortly after the latter’s independence from Britain in 1962. Pyongyang supported Idi Amin when he seized power in 1971, providing his forces with training and weapons.
North Korea opened the embassy in Kampala a year later.
President Museveni has made several visits to North Korea, where he met the late leader Kim Jong Il, father of current leader Kim Jong Un.
In another report, a British tourist has been named among three people who were said to have been murdered in a ‘cowardly terrorist‘ attack at a national park in south-west Uganda, authorities have confirmed.
Uganda’s police said the trio were were killed, and their vehicle burnt, in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
It said joint forces were pursuing suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group on Tuesday night.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority said the victims were two tourists and a guide.
The tourists were from the UK and South Africa while their guide was Ugandan, it added.