EU Council Conclusions on Uganda

2727th GENERAL AFFAIRS Council meeting - Brussels, 15 May 2006

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"1. The Council welcomes the holding in Uganda of the first multiparty elections for 25 years, and welcomes the high turnout which demonstrates the people's strong commitment to pluralist democracy. It congratulates the people of Uganda on the elections and President Yoweri Museveni on the occasion of his inauguration for a further term as president of the Republic of Uganda.

2. The Council calls on the Government of Uganda to continue the democratisation process in a multiparty environment, in particular with regard to the functioning of the Parliament, the dialogue between the government and the opposition parties and civilian control of the military in a democratic society. It reiterates its willingness to support Uganda in these efforts, as well as in the fight against corruption and for poverty alleviation. In this regard, the Council expresses the need for continued cooperation and dialogue between the EU and the Government of Uganda in the framework of Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement.

3. The Council reaffirms its concerns about the continuation of the conflict in Northern Uganda, which has caused serious security problems and a grave humanitarian situation. The Government of Uganda has the primary responsibility for addressing the conflict and the grave humanitarian impact it has had. The EU calls upon the Ugandan Government to further increase protection of its citizens in Northern Uganda and to actively promote the economic and social development of the region.

4. The Council notes with concern that the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have increasingly taken on a regional dimension, posing a threat to the peace processes in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The EU calls on the Ugandan Government to actively work for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Northern Uganda in collaboration with countries in the region, noting that it would contribute greatly to the promotion of lasting peace and security in the Great Lakes region.

5. The Council urges the Government of Uganda, together with its international partners, to work towards implementing a comprehensive strategy that will include political, humanitarian, reconstruction and developmental aspects, as well as addressing security issues in Northern Uganda and the region.

6. The Council welcomes the increased involvement of the UN with regard to the conflict with the LRA, and in particular UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 1653 and 1663 which call for UN Secretary General recommendations for tackling illegal armed groups, including the LRA. It welcomes the initial recommendations made to the UNSC on 26 April. The Council looks forward to a more detailed elaboration of these proposals, including for a High Level Envoy with a regional focus, and calls on the Government of Uganda to accept recommendations from the international community aimed at bringing an early end to the conflict.

7. In line with these recommendations, the Council welcomes the setting up by the Ugandan Government of a Joint Monitoring Committee to help improve the humanitarian situation in Northern Uganda. Having been invited to do so, the EU will participate fully in this mechanism.

8. The LRA commanders indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) must be apprehended and brought to face justice as a matter of urgency. The Council calls on the Government of Uganda and neighbouring countries to work together to effect the arrest warrants. The Council also urged for increased international involvement by the Tripartite Plus Mechanism, the Core Group and other regional and international partners, with regard to the national and regional security aspects of the conflict.

9. Recalling its conclusions on the DRC of 12 December 2005, the Council reiterates that the successful completion of the transition process in the DRC is not only essential for the peaceful, long-term democratic development of the DRC but also for fostering peace and stability throughout the Great Lakes region. The Council therefore wishes Uganda to persist in its efforts to support the political transition in the DRC with a view to improving regional co-operation. It calls on Uganda to strengthen its co-operation with the UN and to help implement the arms embargo in the DRC, to sever all links and support to foreign armed groups in the DRC and to abstain from any unilateral intervention into eastern DRC or any action that would undermine the progress of the transitional process in DRC supported by the international community.

10. The EU urges all parties to intensify their efforts to promote regional co-operation, security and stability with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the Great Lakes region. It condemns the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The EU recalls that full compliance with the obligations imposed by the arms embargo on illegal armed groups in DRC is an obligation for all states in the region."

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