Kampala, Sep 1 (IANS) Uganda remains committed to an agreement it signed with the United States to receive deportees, despite criticism at home and abroad, a senior government official said on Monday.

Charles Ouma, Deputy Solicitor General, told reporters here that it is common practice for countries to enter into agreements on matters of mutual interest.

“I know it may have caused some uproar in the media, both locally and internationally, but definitely countries can cooperate in areas they feel have mutual interest in,” Ouma said.

He declined to comment on whether the arrangement involves any trade-offs, as reported by local media, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ouma explained that the deal is temporary and still under discussion. “This is a temporary arrangement with conditions, including that individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors will not be accepted. Uganda also prefers that individuals from African countries be the ones transferred to Uganda,” he said.

Last month, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the country had reached an agreement with the United States on third-country nationals who may not be granted asylum there but are unwilling or concerned about returning to their countries of origin.

If the deal is fully implemented, Uganda will join Rwanda and South Sudan in accepting deportees from the United States. Rwanda recently announced that it received seven migrants from the United States in August, the first arrivals under a newly signed bilateral resettlement deal.

Meanwhile, government representatives, legal experts, and diplomatic delegations from 47 member countries are set to gather in Uganda for the 63rd session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), a senior government official said Monday.

Uganda’s Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka told reporters that the five-day meeting, scheduled to begin September 8, will focus on the interests of member states in international law and aim to articulate shared legal perspectives of Asia and Africa on the global stage.

“The AALCO provides a platform for member states to discuss and influence developments in international law, including the law of the sea, climate change, cybersecurity, international trade law, peace and security, and dispute resolution mechanisms,” Kiwanuka said.

–IANS

/as