US is to partner Africa against terrorism

From Benjamin Mensah, GNA Special Correspondent, Kampala, Uganda

Kampala, July 26, GNA - Mr Eric Holder, the US Attorney General, has said the US intended to serve as a collaborator and be a partner rather than patron and monitor as it assists African nations to overcome their challenges.

He said the US would use every resource at its command from diplomacy, through the courts and intelligence capabilities to defeat the global terror network.

In a speech at the 15th African Heads of States Summit underway in Kampala, Mr Holder said the US would respect the sovereignty of nations and would engage more AU member nations in the fight against terrorism.

The host nation, Uganda, a fortnight ago suffered a bomb blast that claimed 76 lives and Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group operating in Somalia with ties to Al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility.

Mr Holder described such attacks as nothing more than reprehensible acts of cowardice, inspired by a radical and corrupt ideology that systematically denies human rights, devalues women and girls and perverts the peaceful traditions and teachings of a great religion.

He proposed four areas where American support must continue and be strengthened.

These are direction of resources of the global terror network, strengthening of efforts to promote good governance, expansion of the US diplomatic efforts and focus on issues affecting women and girls.

Mr Holder said the US was joining with African partners to educate Africans on violence against women and to strengthen the ability of Africa's legal systems to protect women and girls.

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda appealed to African leaders to "sweep the terrorists" out of Africa.

"Let us now act in concert and sweep them out of Africa. Let them go back to Asia or the Middle East where I understand some come from."

More than 30 heads of state from the 53-member AU are attending the summit amid tight security and are discussing boosting the organisation's troops levels in Somalia and crushing the Islamist insurgents in the war-torn nation.

The AU summit observed two minutes of silence for the victims of the attacks in Kampala who were then watching the World Cup tournament on television.

"The African Union stands with you, my brother President Museveni and with the people of Uganda," Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika, the Chairman of the AU, said in his opening remarks.

President Museveni said many of the organizers of the attacks in Kampala have been arrested and added "Their interrogations have yielded very good information."