More than 1,000 Ugandan soldiers have been deployed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically in Ituri province’s Bunia, Mahagi, and Djugu territories, according to a recent report by United Nations experts.
The deployment, not formally authorized by the Congolese government, comes under the stated aim of countering the activities of the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO), an armed group operating in the region.
Ugandan officials say the move is intended to neutralize security threats near Lake Albert, where some of Uganda’s vital oil infrastructure is located.
However, the UN report suggests the real motive may be tied to economic interests, particularly access to gold and timber trade routes, which are highly lucrative in the region.
This is not the first time Ugandan troops have operated in Congolese territory. In 2021, Kinshasa allowed Kampala to deploy troops in Beni to fight the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to the Daesh. That operation’s mandate has since been extended, although the total number of Ugandan troops currently inside the DRC remains unclear.
The recent troop movements have raised concerns about sovereignty, transparency, and the long-term impact on regional stability, especially amid growing tensions between armed groups and foreign deployments across eastern Congo.