UGANDA: INTELLIGENCE SHARING AGREEMENT

S E C R E T KAMPALA 001397 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/16 TAGS: PINR PREL MARR UG SUBJECT: UGANDA: INTELLIGENCE SHARING AGREEMENT CLASSIFIED BY: Jerry P. Lanier, Ambassador; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (S) On December 16, the U.S. Mission received verbal assurances from the Ugandan Minister of Defense, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, that Uganda uses intelligence provided by the U.S. to conduct military operations against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in compliance with Ugandan law and the law of armed conflict. This pledge includes the principles of proportionality, distinction, and humane treatment of captured combatants. The Ugandan People's Defense Force (UPDF) uses this intelligence in planning and conducting offensive operations, including both capture and lethal operations, against the LRA in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Southern Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR). Furthermore, Uganda understands the need to consult with the U.S. in advance if the UPDF intends to use U.S.-supplied intelligence to engage in operations not governed by the law of armed conflict. Uganda understands and acknowledges that misuse of this intelligence could cause the U.S. to end this intelligence sharing relationship. ¶2. (S) Minister of Defense Kiyonga restated assurances that classified U.S. information up to the Secret level remains protected under previously signed MOUs. All actionable national intelligence on LRA activities in Uganda, the DRC, Southern Sudan, and the CAR approved for release to Uganda by the originating agency shall be reviewed and coordinated through the U.S. military liaison officer in the Kampala Combined Intelligence Fusion Center prior to passage to the UPDF. ¶3. (S) The Ambassador believes these assurances are both reliable and credible. The UPDF's 4th Division has performed under both the laws of Uganda and the law of armed conflict during the past year of Operation Lightning Thunder with approximately 4,000 soldiers deployed against the LRA in the DRC, Sudan, and CAR. The UPDF during the same time-frame has also safeguarded intelligence provided by the U.S. and honored the signed intelligence sharing agreements. Minister of Defense Kiyonga commented that "Uganda stands on its previous record of human rights during this past year's Operation Lightning Thunder and on our security of US-provided locational information." The U.S. Mission to Uganda has every expectation that this conduct will continue. LANIER