Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, says his forces will withdraw from South Sudan once regional forces are fully deployed in the country.

President Museveni is on a three-day state visit to Ethiopia.

During a joint press conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister, Museveni    said his country sent troops to South Sudan at the request of President      Salva Kiir to defend Juba.

“We did not go to South Sudan looking for employment. We are not lacking jobs to do but you have heard that we are brothers. People of South Sudan are similar to the people of Uganda. The President of South Sudan had asked us to deploy some forces so that at least the capital city, Juba, is not affected. And that’s what we did – we defended Juba not to become a war zone and then later on when these people attacked us, we went on to liberate the town of Bor. That is all.” The Ugandan president said.

President Museveni did not give specific date when Ugandan troops would withdraw from South Sudan.

He says they don’t want to leave a vacuum since the regional forces are    not fully deployed.

“In order not to leave a vacuum, IGAD, other IGAD countries should deploy. They are now deploying. I think the Ethiopian forces are already there. The one from Rwanda is there. Once they are ready and we can ensure that at least Juba is not affected, even Bor because we also don’t want Bor to be affected because it is already peaceful, then we shall go back.” Museveni said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn, and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have expressed commitment to work together to bring stability to South Sudan. IGAD had asked Ugandan and other allied forces to withdraw from the theatre of operations in South Sudan.