We still need Museveni, says America

KAMPALA - The US regards President Yoweri Museveni as a strong leader who they still need for security in the Great Lakes region, the visiting US representative to the UN, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has said. 

“We (US) still have a strong partnership with President Museveni. He has been and continues to be a strong leader in this region. I discussed with him a broad range of issues where we have mutual interest and where we could engage with each other,” Thomas-Greenfield said. 

The US has credited Museveni for his contribution to the fight against terrorism in the region, especially in Somalia, DR Congo and South Sudan, as well as his refugee policy in the region. So far, the US has given $592m (about sh2.2 trillion) to address food and security in the camps that host over 1.5 million refugees across the country. 

While addressing journalists at the residence of the US Ambassador to Uganda, Natalie Brown, in Kololo on Thursday, the visiting envoy said she was on a long-planned trip that President Joe Biden asked her to make as part of US’ continuous engagement with African nations. 

The visiting diplomat started her four-day trip to Africa with her first stop in Uganda; after which she will proceed to Ghana and Cape Verde. 

During the briefing, Thomas-Greenfield said: “President Museveni and I just had a productive and frank meeting where we discussed a broad range of issues, including the security situation in the region, food insecurity and strengthening democratic institutions and an independent press.” 

Sanctions against Ugandan government and military officials as well as food security were top on the agenda during the meeting between the envoy and Museveni. 

Thomas-Greenfield said they reinforced the shared commitment to advance peace efforts in Somalia and South Sudan, and the eastern DR Congo. 

The diplomat said they discussed food insecurity around the world, as well as the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine on the availability of food and on oil prices. 

The ambassador is expected to visit markets and food production facilities and meet local farmers, activists and members of civil society. She expressed appreciation for Ghana’s role as a regional leader in peace and security and counter-terrorism, particularly with African Transition Mission in Somalia.

“Now, as we approach 60 years of enduring relations between the US and Uganda, I want to reinforce that the US is proud to work with Uganda to build a more peaceful, prosperous and democratic future for the people of Uganda both here and for others across the region,” she said. 

During her visit, the US envoy also met organisations that support refugees, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Envoy meets Museveni 

President Museveni on Thursday evening received Thomas-Greenfi eld, who called on him at State House, Entebbe. 

The envoy, who is on a tour of three African countries, started her visit in Uganda where she held fruitful discussions with her host, President Museveni, on regional and security matters. 

She expressed her delight to be in Uganda, a country she said has a long and deep friendship with the US, a statement from State House said. Thomas-Greenfield extended warm greetings from President Biden to President Museveni, whom she acknowledged as a pillar of stability in the region. 

“We acknowledge Uganda’s peace mission in Somalia. Your mission has made a difference,” she said. 

On the issue of food security in the country, President Museveni informed his guest that food was available in Uganda, but the high cost of fuel affects its transportation to the markets, thus driving prices up. 

“The problem here is fuel. When fuel prices went up, food prices also went up. But we have food such as bananas, cassava, millet and sweet potatoes. Although we had a prolonged dry spell, we still have plenty of food,” Museveni said. 

The US sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine have caused fuel prices to skyrocket.

The price of a barrel of crude oil, which had dropped to as low as $60 (about sh231,884) as at the beginning of last year, started rising following the Russia-Ukraine war, and it is now at over $100 (about sh386,474). 

“If you really want to help the third world, why don’t you leave the third world out of these sanctions in a conflict where we are not participating? The priority here is the high cost of fuel, which is affecting the price of commodities due to the high cost of transport,” Museveni said. 

On regional security, Museveni told his guest that Uganda’s position was that cases of insecurity could easily be solved through dialogue by all parties involved, especially where there is willingness to talk. 

“Talking with adversaries is not a sign of weakness, but an opportunity for soft landing and saving resources of time, life and dignity,” he said. Thomas-Greenfield was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Uganda, Natalie Brown, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, and the African Advisor, Judd Deveron, among other officials.

US funds food security  

During her visit, Thomas-Greenfield said the US had earmarked $20m (about sh77.2b) as development assistance to Uganda amid the global food security crisis. However, the diplomat said the $20m funding through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), will be subject to congressional approval. Thomas-Greenfield said the assistance will help to mitigate the impacts of growing food insecurity, which she said has been exacerbated by Russia’s unprovoked aggression in Ukraine. 

“The assistance will be channelled through international and national partners and civil society organisations to enhance local efforts in Uganda, an existing Feed the Future partner country, to directly mitigate the impacts of growing food insecurity, which have been exacerbated by Russia’s unprovoked aggression in Ukraine,” the envoy said. 

She said the war in Ukraine brought unprecedented incidents that spiked the increase of prices of some food items and fertilisers, putting families that mostly depend on agriculture at risk. 

“This new funding will help smallholder farmers adopt improved agricultural practices that will increase productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and add value to their products. It will also boost agricultural production by expanding financing for fertilisers and improving their efficient use,” Thomas-Greenfi eld said. 

The assistance, she added, will build on existing agriculture and value chain investments to support farmers and consumers mitigate the impact of global food crisis. 

The envoy noted that Feed the Future’s intensified efforts to mitigate and alleviate the crisis of food insecurity and malnutrition in the Horn of Africa were part of Congress’ bipartisan emergency supplemental Bill signed by President Biden in May. 

The Bill includes $2.76b in supplemental US resources to protect the world’s most vulnerable populations from the escalating global food security crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the severe drought in the Horn of Africa. 

In neighbouring South Sudan, the United States, through USAID, has also contributed $223m to save the starving millions of South Sudanese

US sanctions 

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said Russia has a narrative that sanctions on food and agricultural products had led to the increase in prices that countries are experiencing. 

“I want to say we have no sanctions on any agricultural products coming out of Russia.” 

She said Russia could export their agricultural products and countries could buy Russian agricultural products, including fertilisers and wheat. The envoy noted that countries that decide to engage with Russia in areas where the US had imposed sanctions were also breaching those sanctions. 

“They are breaking our sanctions and in some cases breaking UN sanctions with other countries. We caution countries not to break those sanctions because then, if they do, they stand the chance of having actions taken against them for breaking them,” she said. 

Asked whether she was in Uganda to sway Museveni following the recent visit of the Russian foreign affairs minister, Sergey Lavrov, the diplomat said: “I am sure that’s what foreign minister Lavrov was here to do.” 

She added: “But we have a strong, abiding relationship with Uganda. This is not my first visit to Uganda; it will not be my last visit to Uganda. And I will tell you that my trip has been in the planning for quite some time. It just happened, coincidentally, to fall after the Lavrov visit.”