President Museveni has alleged that the United Nations is effectively supporting terrorism in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and fostering instability in several countries within the Sahel region.
He asserted, “Some global actors, positioning themselves as international peacekeepers, either create or perpetuate terrorism in Africa. The turmoil in Libya and the surrounding Sahelian nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad, can be attributed to the actions of these actors.”
Museveni, in a statement released via his X handle, claimed, “The UN, under undemocratic structures like the Security Council, has been engaged in a two-decade-long project of sustaining terrorism in eastern Congo. This control is exercised by certain actors who manipulate the UN to their advantage.”
He continued, “It is astonishing how the UN can tolerate the presence of killers in eastern Congo who have victimized Congolese and Ugandans for the past 20 years. They have created an environment where various malicious entities can gather, train, exploit Congo’s resources, and harm its people, occasionally extending their violence to Ugandans, all while undermining the economic prospects of the Great Lakes region.”
Museveni announced his intention to collaborate with the Congolese government to eradicate the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorists responsible for multiple attacks in both countries.
Efforts to obtain a response from the United Nations were unsuccessful at the time of press. Susan Namondo, the UN resident coordinator, declined to comment, citing her unavailability and lack of awareness of the statement due to travel commitments.
The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (Monusco) has been present in the DRC since 2010, succeeding the United Nations Organisation Mission in DRC. As of February, Monusco had over 17,000 personnel deployed in the region, authorized to use necessary means to fulfill their mandate of protecting civilians, humanitarian personnel, and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence. Additionally, Monusco supports the DRC government in its efforts to stabilize and consolidate peace.
This is not the first time President Museveni has criticized the United Nations for its perceived failure to bring peace to eastern Congo. In his 2018 State of the Nation Address, he asserted that rural terrorism and banditry had been defeated in Uganda, but groups like the ADF continued to thrive in Congo, allegedly preserved by the UN and the Congolese government.
The ADF is among over 100 armed groups operating in the DRC, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in March 2021. Kampala has accused the ADF of numerous attacks, including the recent murder of two foreign tourists in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the July Lubhiriha attack resulting in 40 casualties, and multiple bombings in the capital last year.
President Museveni also commended the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) for thwarting planned attacks during the Nyege Nyege Music festival in Jinja. Despite security concerns prompting warnings from the United States and the United Kingdom to their citizens, Museveni emphasized the strength of Uganda’s security system in safeguarding a large public event against potential terrorist threats.
