VZCZCXRO2674
RR RUEHGI RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHKM #1209/01 2070419
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260419Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9120
INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0615
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KAMPALA 001209 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL MOPS EAID SU UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL LOWEY (August 18-23) 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Summary: Uganda is a productive player for U.S. policy 
interests in Africa, with Ugandan troops deploying to Somalia 
assisted by U.S. money and logistics.  On the humanitarian and 
development side, Uganda vigorously supports a number of U.S. 
initiatives including Presidential initiatives on HIV/AIDS (PEPFAR) 
and malaria (PMI), and U.S. free trade and free market objectives. 
Uganda cooperates fully in the War on Terror, and is highly 
receptive to U.S. training and presence. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Uganda also has a number of challenges.  Uganda's search 
for a peaceful resolution to the 21-year long conflict with the 
Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) continues. The Ugandan military is 
facing serious challenges as it carries out forcible disarmament of 
illegally armed persons in Karamoja, which has resulted in numerous 
deaths and alleged human rights violations. The United States is the 
largest bilateral donor for humanitarian efforts to assist the 1.5 
million displaced persons in northern Uganda.  President Museveni is 
facing significant pressure from within the ruling party on issues 
of succession, accountability, human rights and media freedoms. 
Museveni supports liberal market principles and foreign investment, 
although corruption remains a problem.  Uganda recently was approved 
for a Threshold Program with the Millenium Challenge Corporation, 
and will receive $10 million for anti-corruption measures.  Uganda 
reduced its HIV/AIDS rate from 18 percent in 1992 to 6.4 percent in 
2006, and received $236 million in 2007 as a focus country for the 
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  End Summary. 
 
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PEACE AND SECURITY 
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¶3. (SBU)  The security situation in northern Uganda improved 
dramatically over the past year. The insurgent Lord's Resistance 
Army (LRA), which was pushed into Congo in December 2005, agreed to 
negotiate with the Government of Uganda.  Talks began in July 2006 
and yielded a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA).  LRA 
combatants have moved out of northern Uganda.  With the exception of 
a few small groups, those in southern Sudan have moved toward 
Rikwangba, a designated assembly area in Southern Sudan.  There have 
been LRA attacks along key roads between Uganda and Juba, but since 
August 2006, there has been just one in northern Uganda.  The LRA's 
top leadership remains in Garamba National Park in the Democratic 
Republic of Congo. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  The peace process continues in Juba, Southern Sudan 
mediated by GOSS Vice President Riek Machar. In April, U.N. Special 
Envoy for LRA-Affected Areas, former Mozambican President Joaquim 
Chissano, adeptly overcame the LRA's complaints about the mediator, 
per diem, the venue for the talks, and the International Criminal 
Court (ICC) warrants. He established an international observer team 
consisting of representatives from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, 
Congo, and South Africa. This team plays an active and effective 
role in keeping the talks moving and addressing complaints from the 
parties.  The talks reconvened with the parties reaching agreement 
on Agenda Item Two: Comprehensive Solutions on May 1 and an 
agreement on general principles of accountability and reconciliation 
on June 29.  Both sides agreed that a national legal solution 
combined with traditional reconciliation mechanisms would be the 
basis for final resolutions.  Despite LRA procedural machinations 
that led to delays in discussions, the international observer team 
steered the parties into agreeing on the principles for a justice 
and reconciliation framework and steps to be taken to develop 
mechanisms for its implementation. The talks were recessed for the 
parties to consult with key stakeholders in northern Uganda on their 
views on accountability. The USG, Norway, Sweden, and the 
Netherlands are funding the Government's part of the consultations, 
with USAID managing the contributions. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  In northeastern Uganda, humanitarian agencies report that 
insecurity in Kotido, Kaabong, and Abim districts has increased as 
the result of armed confrontations between the UPDF and illegally 
armed Karamojong. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Ugandan troops deployed to Somalia as part of an African 
Union Peacekeeping Mission (AMISOM) in March.  President Museveni, 
during his tenure as head of IGAD, oversaw the establishment of the 
Transitional Federal Government and Institutions, and committed to 
send Ugandan troops.  The Ugandans believe that a stable Somalia is 
necessary for peace and stability throughout East Africa, especially 
for ending the flow of small arms into and through Karamoja.  Uganda 
wants other African countries which pledged troops to follow through 
on their commitment to join Ugandan's 1500 troops.  Uganda's Major 
General Levi Karahunga, a veteran of the Liberia peacekeeping 
mission, is AMISOM's force commander.  The U.S. continues to provide 
support for Uganda's AMISOM deployment through the African 
Contingency Response Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program. 
Training is underway for Uganda's two battalions that will rotate 
into Somalia later this year. 
 
 
KAMPALA 00001209  002 OF 004 
 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Uganda is proud to be part of the fight against global 
terror.  Government officials are preoccupied with the spread of 
Arab fundamentalism.  They frequently and publicly make the 
distinction between Arab states, such as Sudan and Eritrea and black 
African neighbors.  Uganda is a predominately Christian country and 
promotes good relations with its Muslim community. 
 
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HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE 
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¶8.  (SBU)  The 21-year old LRA conflict displaced over 1.5 million 
people.  Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) have returned near or to their lands as the result of 
improved security.  Residents of Lango and Teso sub-regions have 
mostly returned to their places of origin while those in Acholi are 
beginning to move to new sites closer to their original homes. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  The improved security situation has led to a decline in 
the numbers of night commuters--children who seek sleep in shelters 
to avoid abduction from the LRA-to a few hundred, according to 
UNICEF, compared with almost 40,000 in 2003.  Surveys indicate the 
few hundred children that continue to commute do so for reasons 
other than fear of abduction, such as domestic abuse and 
availability of services. 
 
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USG ACTIVITIES 
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¶10. (SBU)  Various Mission agencies are working together to enhance 
peace and security in northern Uganda through a three-pronged 
strategy of humanitarian, political, and military assistance.  Our 
overall assistance in FY06 exceeded $88 million.  The U.S. is the 
largest bilateral donor of food assistance for the 1.5 million 
displaced persons and refugees.  We provide a variety of water, 
health, and sanitation assistance.  We support UNHCR and others in 
programs to ensure the safe and voluntary return of internally 
displaced persons to their homes or intermediate locations. 
 
¶11. (SBU)  We have promoted reconciliation, dialogue, and 
reintegration of former combatants through USAID programs aimed at 
mitigating conflict.  Embassy officers in Kampala and Juba engage 
with key players in the negotiations.  Modest amounts of Defense 
Department funds are being used to provide non-lethal assistance to 
help the UPDF protect civilians and relief supplies in northern 
Uganda.  CJTF-HOA is working on humanitarian projects with the UPDF 
in northern Uganda to improve civil-military relations.  Post is 
using IMET, ACOTA, and ACSS programs as well as participation in 
regional exercises to enhance the professionalism of the Ugandan 
military.  On Somalia, the State Department funded the logistics of 
the UPDF's deployment while CJTF-HOA provided logisticians and 
members of the DAO's office coordinated the operation with the UPDF. 
Currently, 1500 Ugandan soldiers are being trained for rotation to 
Somalia under the State Department's African Contingency Operations 
Training and Support Program (ACOTA). 
 
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DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE 
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¶12. (SBU)  One year after returning to multi-party rule, Uganda is 
experiencing growing pains.  The ruling National Resistance Movement 
(NRM) party is grappling with internal dissent among younger 
parliamentarians who resent the monopolistic behavior of the 
Movement's "historicals."  Museveni also is being challenged by the 
historicals, who are interested in succession. Press reports suggest 
that the President is increasingly isolated at State House.  Some 
cabinet members complain that Museveni's personal secretary prevents 
them from discussing national issues with him, leaving the President 
out-of-touch with ordinary Ugandans.  As a result, the government 
has made several missteps in the past few months, including the 
siege of the High Court in March 2007 by government security agents 
to prevent the release of suspects in a treason case. The arrests of 
former Health Ministry officials has exposed the ruling party's 
redirection of immunization funds for partisan political purposes. 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Opposition parties remain weak, personality-based, and 
susceptible to intimidation and manipulation by the Executive 
Branch.  The opposition's primary tools are press and protest 
because they are substantially outnumbered in parliament and 
traditional media outlets are at times intimidated by the 
government. Government intimidation resulted in editorial and 
management changes in the independent media's most prominent 
newspaper, The Daily Monitor. 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  The government's human rights record needs improvement, 
particularly with respect to cases of arbitrary arrest and detention 
and lengthy pre-trial detention.  However, the consensus of a wide 
 
KAMPALA 00001209  003 OF 004 
 
 
range of UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and civil 
society organizations indicates that over the past year, the UPDF 
has demonstrated marked improvement in respecting the human rights 
of the IDPs under their protection in northern Uganda.  While abuses 
were at one time common, and do still happen (particularly involving 
local defense units), they can now be categorized as individual 
incidents that do not occur as result of orders from senior 
officials, and are no longer part and parcel of the institution. 
 
¶15.  (SBU)  The reasons for this improvement are attributable to a 
number of factors, including lowered tensions due to a reduction in 
the threat level, reassignment of the most notorious UPDF commanders 
whose units were associated with human rights abuses, increased 
international attention, and ongoing training by the USG, ICRC, and 
other organizations on international standards of human rights and 
humanitarian law.  Organizations continue to monitor abuses and are 
working through the UN's cluster approach to improve reporting 
measures.  The forcible disarmament program in Karamoja, however, 
has opened up the UPDF to new allegations of abuse, particularly 
excessive force. 
 
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ECONOMIC GROWTH 
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¶16.  (SBU)  President Museveni is a strong believer in an expanding 
African market starting with an enlarged East African Community, and 
remains committed to liberalizing the Ugandan economy, containing 
inflation, and encouraging economic growth, and foreign investment. 
Foreign debt has dropped from over USD 6 billion in 2004 to USD 1.6 
billion in 2007 through debt relief programs.  Uganda is attempting 
to diversify its agriculture-based economy, focusing on 
non-traditional, high-value items such as vanilla, processed fish, 
and cut flowers.  The pace of economic growth has remained 
consistent over the last twelve years with annual GDP growth rates 
between 5-6 percent.  Foreign direct investment is increasing.  The 
fastest growing sectors are construction, transportation and 
telecommunications.  Uganda's tourism industry is earning a 
significant amount of foreign exchange. 
 
¶17.  (SBU) The GOU is trying to manage public expectations regarding 
oil discoveries in western Uganda.  In October 2006, the Canadian 
firm, Heritage Oil, announced the first oil discovered on the shores 
of Lake Albert.  The other exploration company, Australian-based 
Hardman, is partnering with Tullow, a British firm.  Libya's TamOil 
is the primary investor in a proposed pipeline from Uganda to Kenya. 
 Chinese firms are also interested in expanding their investments to 
include Uganda's oil. General Electric's Oil and Gas division based 
in Italy is interested in identifying potential projects in this 
sector, but is waiting to see if the next project tenders for 
oil-related projects will be transparent. 
 
¶18.  (SBU)  An ongoing energy crisis, corruption and inadequate 
transport infrastructure have hampered economic development and 
investor confidence.  The energy crisis, which started in late 2005 
due to poor energy planning coupled with a significant drop in Lake 
Victoria water levels, severely decreased electricity generation 
from hydroelectric power.  Recent rains are increasing hydroelectric 
power output and new leadership in the Ministry of Energy has added 
100 megawatts of thermal generator power to help fill the power gap. 
 Uganda was approved by the Millenium Challenge Corporation for a 
two-year $10.4 million Threshold Country Program (TCP) in Uganda to 
provide technical assistance, training and equipment to the 
Government of Uganda's anti-corruption agencies and the civil 
society organizations. 
 
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INVESTING IN PEOPLE 
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¶19. (SBU)  Uganda is a focus country for the President's Emergency 
Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and received $236 million in PEPFAR 
funds in FY 2007 for the Centers for Disease Control, USAID, NIH, 
Peace Corps, and Defense and State Department programs.  The program 
is one of the largest in Africa, along with South Africa, Kenya, 
Nigeria, and Ethiopia.  The PEPFAR Program in Uganda is being 
implemented in partnership with over 70 international and local 
organizations. 
 
¶20.  (SBU) Uganda is one of the few countries in the world that has 
successfully brought its prevalence rates down.  Uganda's HIV/AIDS 
infection rate peaked at 18 percent in 1992 and has decreased to 6.4 
percent in 2006.  The decline is largely the result of President 
Museveni's enlightened leadership, an aggressive public awareness 
campaign and significant donor support for programs that provide 
comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support services for 
those infected and living with HIV/AIDS, orphans and vulnerable 
children, and pregnant women.  The highest prevalence rates are in 
the northern conflict regions and the central region. 
 
KAMPALA 00001209  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶21.  (SBU) An estimated 135,000 new infections over the past year 
have caused concern that Uganda's success to date could be 
threatened.  Transmission occurs mainly through heterosexual contact 
(75 to 80 percent), while mother-to-child HIV transmission accounts 
for 15-25 percent of new infections and medical transmission is 
responsible for about two percent of new infections.  A recently 
conducted sero-behavioral survey indicated that some of the factors 
that are driving the epidemic are:  an increase in multiple 
partners; a decrease in men's consistent use of condoms with casual 
partners; a high prevalence (60 percent) of genital herpes, which 
predisposes an individual to acquiring HIV; and HIV discordance in 
couples, i.e., when one person is HIV positive and the other is HIV 
negative. 
 
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PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ACTIVITIES - EXCHANGES AND PRESS 
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¶22.  (U) In FY 2006, our Cultural Affairs office sent 51 Ugandans to 
the United States on a range of different exchange and educational 
grants.  In addition, during the 2005-06 academic year, some 588 
Ugandans were enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education. 
Ugandans value the chance to visit and to study in the United 
States, and many Ugandan political and economic leaders are 
graduates of U.S. academic programs or former participants in 
USG-funded exchanges. 
 
¶23.  (U) The Ugandan press is primarily interested in U.S. 
government support for the Museveni government - or opposition 
politicians; the availability of U.S. visas; and U.S. aid 
(development and humanitarian and military) to Uganda.  The press 
and public, while aware that the U.S. is a big donor to Uganda, 
often fail to understand the mechanics of U.S. foreign assistance 
and how to access it for particular communities and individuals. 
 
 
 
 
 
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OUR MESSAGE 
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¶24. (SBU) U.S. efforts to mitigate the effects of the conflict in 
the North and bring about a resolution to the conflict and 
reconciliation within the North, and between the North and the 
South, dominate our peace and security agenda.  More recently, U.S. 
assistance for the Ugandan deployment to Somalia has increased our 
security focus.  We continue to advance our interests in encouraging 
multi-party political competition, economic transparency, and 
combating HIV/AIDS.  Our message to the Museveni government 
includes: 
 
--Recognizing Museveni's efforts to bring about a peaceful 
resolution to the 21-year old conflict with the LRA.  The GOU has 
demonstrated restraint and patience during the peace talks in Juba. 
The USG supports the Juba venue, Government of Southern Sudan's 
mediation efforts, and the activism of the UN Special Envoy and the 
African observers. 
 
--Reaffirming our commitment to working with the GOU to mitigate 
regional tensions.  We encourage Uganda to continue talking to its 
neighbors, particularly Congo, to deal with the regional aspects of 
the LRA problem. 
 
--Appreciating Uganda's long-standing commitment to deploy to 
Somalia and the high level of professionalism demonstrated during 
the preparations. 
 
--Assisting the development of a democratic system, which includes 
strong civil society and democratic institutions, respect for human 
rights, rule of law, and transparency and accountability. 
 
--Partnering with Uganda in the war against terror.  We look forward 
to continuing to work with Uganda on the global war on terror and 
other programs of bilateral cooperation. 
 
--Acknowledging the Government's commitment to combating HIV/AIDS 
and recognizing Museveni's leadership in Africa on arresting the 
pandemic. 
BROWNING