[allAfrica.com] [Leon_H._Sullivan_Summit] "Freedom from Fear: Forging US-Africa Partnerships against Terror" Government of Uganda (Kampala) DOCUMENT June 13, 2003 Posted to the web June 13, 2003 By Yoweri Museveni Washington, DC The following is the text of an address by President Museveni of Uganda to the Council on Foreign Relations Ambassador Princeton Lyman, Distinguished Members of the Council, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen: On behalf of the people of Uganda, I would like to welcome you and express my sincere appreciation to Ambassador Princeton Lyman, Robert Orr, and Council Members Carl Ware, Leonard Robinson, Frank Savage and Jennifer Jenkins for this invitation to discuss US-Africa Partnerships Against Terror. The construction of a new Global Coalition Against Terror challenges leaders to join in solidarity to identify the roots of terrorism and target local and transnational networks that impede the advancement of freedom, peace and prosperity. Indeed, the specter of terrorism has long haunted many of our countries often under the guise of internal or regional conflicts. Decades before the tragedies of September 11th, Ugandans suffered from the scourge of terrorism under the genocidal dictatorship of Idi Amin and Al-Qaeda related attacks from the regionally-based ADF and LRA. As included in the State Department's Terrorist Exclusion List, the Lord's Resistance Army and Allied Democratic Front have been trained by al Qaeda and operated out of Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo since the 1990s. However, we bring a message of hope to America due to our successful experiences in securing "Freedom from Fear" in Uganda. For example, in 1998, security and intelligence cooperation with the US led to the arrests of al Qaeda operatives and successful preemption of planned bombing of the US Embassy in Kampala, saving countless American and Ugandan lives. This evening, we bring a message of hope because we are also implementing international agreements to establish peace and security in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, the international community recognizes that our cooperation with Sudan has led to concrete results in reducing the LRA's capabilities, as well as to moving toward comprehensive peace in Sudan. Although the ADF is no longer operational in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the cycle of genocide in the Great Lakes Region has not been broken. Therefore, we call on the US and international community to provide immediate support for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions for peacekeepers with a strong mandate capable of quelling the violence in Congo. We are cooperating closely with the French-peacekeepers through their operational base out of Entebbe, Uganda, and working to establish law and order in Ituri. However, the "breeding grounds" of terrorism engendered by the "failed state" of Congo must be addressed in a sustainable and concerted manner through strong partnerships with the US, UN and African Union. Indeed, due to inaction by the international community in the past, Uganda developed its own doctrine of preemption beginning with the "regime change" of Idi Amin in 1979. Likewise, we supported the intervention to stop the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Finally, as Zaire and subsequently the Democratic Republic of Congo provided "safe haven" to the genocidaires terrorists, we joined regional coalitions to intervene. Most recently, we have successfully chaired the Regional Peace Initiative for Burundi, in cooperation with President Nelson Mandela and leaders of the African Union (AU). This has led to successful transition and deployment of the first AU peacekeeping mission in Burundi. Today, Uganda is also a member of the "Coalition of the Willing." Due our own experiences in the long-term process of reconstruction and democratization, we understand the frustrations of the US and international community to reestablish law and order in Afghanistan and Iraq. Furthermore, through the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the African Union, our leaders have embarked upon a new path for freedom, human rights, conflict resolution, democratization and sustainable development in this millennium. As masters of our own destinies, we are seeking "African solutions to Africa's problems" and invite our American friends in Congress and Administration, non-governmental and private sectors to join us as equal partners in the eradication of poverty, disease and conflict and in the empowerment of people in Africa and around the globe. We are committed to good governance and to working in solidarity to expand political and economic freedoms across the continent and indeed the world. Therefore, we fully embrace President George W. Bush's statement that "freedom is God's gift to humanity" [and] in Africa today, freedom means freedom from the fear of a deadly pandemic." Today, Africa faces urgent and complex challenges in combating HIV/AIDS. Fortunately, Uganda stands as a beacon of hope in this global struggle because we have successfully brought down the HIV/ AIDS infection rate from over 30 per cent in 1986 to below 6 per cent and declining. We salute the leadership of Congress and the Administration to commit $15 billion over the next five years to help us secure "freedom from fear" of this disease across the continent of Africa and the world. We believe that "freedom from fear" also concerns freedom from poverty, famine, and other "breeding grounds of terrorism." In Uganda we have globally- recognized policies for poverty eradication that have succeeded in reducing absolute poverty from 56% to 35% since 1992. Likewise, we have registered between 7 % to double-digit economic growth rates over 10 years. We applaud President Bush's proposal for a 50% increase in US development assistance over the next three years and the establishment of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) to "be directed to nations that encourage economic freedom, root out corruption, and respect the rights of their people. Through the African Union and New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), many leaders across the continent have pledged their governments to these fundamental principles. Likewise, we endorse the principle that MCA should be complementary and leveraged to expand and strengthen the implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), in order to ensure the sustainability of economic reforms. In brief, we do not seek "a hand out," but rather we ask for "a hand up." AGOA offers new hope and opportunities to millions of Africans, and as I've stated many times before it is indeed, the most important act of friendship by any Western country to Africa. AGOA has created innumerable opportunities for ordinary citizens across Africa due to the "multiplier effect" of trade and investment on economic development, generating income for countries through taxes and for individuals through job creation. AGOA promises to become an engine for economic growth and prosperity in Africa, generating millions of jobs and empowering Africans to fully participate in the socioeconomic and political development of our nations. A strong and prosperous Africa will be a profitable trading partner of United States and will contribute to international peace and security, thus forging partnerships against terror. We recognize that lack of hope, under-development, and marginalization of poor countries from the opportunities of globalization are key characteristics of the "breeding grounds" for terrorism. In sum, increases in trade and aid to promote good governance and poverty reduction, as well commitments in the fight against AIDS, are critical elements in the general campaign against terrorism and specifically in US-Africa relations. We welcome US-Africa Partnerships that can strengthen and sustain policies to facilitate the development of "African lions" in the new millennium much like the "Asian tigers" of the 20th Century. African countries are committed to a partnership with US that will yield tangible and sustainable results. In closing, we applaud the commitment of our friends in the US and believe that their efforts represent the hope and future of Africa that will lead to a mutually beneficial relationship with the US. The US enjoys a long tradition in promoting political and economic freedom, from the Marshall Plan for Europe to the Alliance for Progress for Latin America, and now the Millennium Challenge Account and AIDS bills. We pledge our full solidarity with the US in forging partnerships against terror and in securing "Freedom from Fear" in the 21st Century. Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for your attention.   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2003 Government of Uganda. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================