Uganda must pay $325 million in reparations to the Democratic Republic of Congo for its role in wars in Congo’s resource-rich Ituri region, according to judges at the International Court of Justice. Uganda will pay $65 million in five annual payments beginning in September this year, according to presiding Judge Joan Donoghue
Previous News:
Congo claims reparation of $11b against Uganda, World Court decides Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the International Court of Justice will determine whether Uganda should pay the Democratic Republic of Congo nearly $11 billion in reparations for its role in conflicts in Congo’s resource-rich Ituri region.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s highest court, deals with international issues. It will lay down its judgment in The Hague at 1400 GMT.
In 1999, the long-running conflict was brought before the court for the first time.
In 2005, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded that Uganda had broken international law by occupying parts of the eastern Congolese province with its own forces and supporting other armed groups during a conflict that lasted from 1998 to 2003.
The court ordered the African neighbors to negotiate reparations, but Congo returned to the court in 2015, claiming that the talks had stalled. The parties are now awaiting a final determination on the compensation amount.
Uganda claimed in April proceedings that Congo’s multibillion-dollar claim could bankrupt the country and that Congo had not supplied adequate evidence of its losses.
Congo wants compensation not just for the alleged victims of Uganda’s role in the conflict, but also for macroeconomic losses, natural resource loss, and animal harm.
