Uganda army and defence spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza said here Tuesday that Uganda's decision to contribute troops was in response to a request from the United Nations.

The troops will be part of the over 10,000 troops and about 700 civilian police personnel to oversee security in southern Sudan after a peace agreement between the SPLM and Khartoum signed in Nairobi, Kenya, early this year to end a 23-year long civil war.

Uganda is currently training a big force of over 1,000 soldiers for deployment in Somalia to help in establishing a government in the Horn of Africa nation.

The East African nation also plans to send a small peacekeeping force to troubled Ivory Coast and Liberia, the army spokesman said.