UN court orders Uganda to pay $325 million in war reparations to DRC

International Court of Justice judges ruled on Wednesday that Uganda must pay $325 million in compensation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for its role in the conflicts in the resource-rich Ituri province of the Congo.

“The court has established the total amount of compensation awarded to the Democratic Republic of the Congo of $325 million,” said Court President Joan Donoghue.

She added that Uganda has to pay the amount in five annual installments of $65 million, starting in September of this year.

The total damages are well below the $11 billion sought by Congo, but the court has dismissed many claims including all claims for macroeconomic damage, saying there is insufficient evidence to support Congo’s accounts.

The long-running dispute was first brought before the United Nations’ highest court in 1999.

After protracted proceedings, the court ruled in 2005 that Uganda had violated international law by occupying parts of the eastern Congolese province with its own forces and supporting other armed groups during the 1998-2003 war.

The court ordered African neighbors to negotiate compensation, but in 2015 Congo returned to court saying talks had stalled. On Wednesday, the court ruled on the final compensation amount.

Decisions of the International Court of Justice, which deals with disputes between states, are final and not subject to appeal.

(Reuters)