KAMPALA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has said it will not renew the agreement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) after a 17-year operation of the latter in the East African country.
A letter by the country's foreign affairs ministry to the OHCHR dated Feb. 3, which was made public Tuesday, said the office was no longer necessary since the human rights situation in Uganda had greatly improved.
"Given the strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, the prevailing peace throughout the country, coupled with strong national human rights institutions and a vibrant civil society ... the ministry wishes to convey the government's decision not to renew the mandate of the OHCHR country office in Uganda," said the letter which was authenticated by a ministry communications officer.
The ministry said Uganda would continue to cooperate with the OHCHR headquarters either directly or through the Permanent Mission in Geneva.
Established in 2006, the OHCHR in Uganda was mandated to focus on the human rights situation in conflict-affected areas of the northern region.
The mandate, however, was renewed to cover the entire country in 2009. In 2020, the mandate was again renewed to establish a regional training institute on international human rights systems.
"The ministry wishes to convey (the) government's appreciation to the OHCHR country office for its contribution towards the promotion and protection of human rights in Uganda," read the letter.
Mariam Fauzat Wangadya, the chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, told local media that the status of human rights in the country was normal.
"We have made big strides in advancing human rights, and we are a peaceful country. We have a well-developed legal system, and we have functional, independent courts of law," Wangadya said. "We have institutions like mine to check the mistakes where they occur and correct them." ■