US has an active dialogue with gov’t on security: Ambassador Brown

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ambassador of the United States (US) Mission in Uganda, Natalie E. Brown says that they have an active dialogue with Ugandan officials regarding the security in the country.

Brown made the statement while addressing journalists on the Embassy’s 2021 report to the Ugandan People that explains the U.S partnership and assistance for the past one year in areas of health, education, democratic values among others.

Asked why the released report is silent about the security partnerships, the Ambassador said that there is no new assistance in the security sector.

“What we do in partnership with Uganda and security is mostly in Somalia, for AMISOM, for the mission there…of which Uganda is the largest troop contributing country helping to try and bring some safety and stability to that area, most what we do is actually in Somalia so that is why it is not reflected in this report,” said Brown in part.

She added that for almost 60 years, the US has been working in partnership with Ugandan institutions and people and that there is strong dialogue, sharing of information, discussion of security concerns and exploring ways that they can work together to address some of the coming threats like terrorism.

Brown revealed that the US has an active dialogue with Ugandan officials on security but declined to reveal details.

Addressing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF entry into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in pursuit of the Allied Democratic Forces-ADF rebels, the Ambassador said that security within the country and the region is a very important topic.

“We have certainly seen in the last couple of weeks what is happening along the border between Uganda and DRC and the unfortunate attacks here in Kampala in November that claimed lives, in all this development we talk about the growth and the need to have a secure environment,” she said.

Brown added that there is a threat not just in Uganda and neighboring countries but to all people around the world posed by the terror networks.

She says that the United States is committed to working with partners to address terror threats.

The Ambassador commended the strong communication and partnership that is happening currently between Uganda and the DRC, noting that they think that it is also extremely important that both Uganda and the DRC coordinate closely with MONUSCO (The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) which has a presence in the region to address the threat.

She says that there is need to make sure that there is maximum effort to minimize the threat on civilian population.

The UPDF entered Congo two weeks ago in pursuit of the Allied Democratic Forces-ADF rebels, many of whom sought refuge in parts of Beni territory and North Kivu province, in Eastern DRC. The offensive is implemented jointly with the armed forces of the DRC. UPDF launched joint air and artillery strikes against ADF camps with their Congolese allies.

This followed four separate bomb blasts in Uganda in the month of November that claimed the lives of at least 10 people and left several others injured. The Uganda government blamed the four attacks on ADF.

*****

URN