PRESS RELEASE Message delivered to UN Secretary-General, the President and Members of the UN Security Council on False Accusations against

Uganda in UN Group of Experts Report on DRC Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Special Envoy and Minister of Information and Communications Technology, who is currently in New York, has delivered a message from the Government of Uganda expressing disappointment and grave concern about the false accusations against Uganda in the report of the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in meetings he has held with: i) The Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Jan Eliasson, who received the message on behalf of the UN SecretaryGeneral H.E. Ban Ki-moon, on November 1, 2012; ii) The President of the UN Security Council, Ambassador H. S. Puri of India on November 2, 2012; iii)The Representatives of Security Council members: South Africa, Azerbaijan, France, Togo, China, Russia, and United Kingdom. The Government stressed that it was unacceptable to malign Ugandas contribution to regional peace and security by alleging that it supports the M23 group. Ugandas involvement in seeking a solution to the situation in Eastern DRC was at the express request of both the DRC Government and the UN Secretary General, and in its capacity as Chair of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The Government informed that Ugandas withdrawal from regional peace efforts, including Somalia, CAR, etc. would become inevitable unless the UN corrects the false accusations made against Uganda, by bringing out the truth about Ugandas role in the current regional efforts.

The President of the Security Council, Ambassador H. S. Puri, said that the report is yet to be considered by the Sanctions Committee concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He added that views expressed by the independent experts do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations. Ambassador Puri also noted that Uganda, as an important troop-contributing country, is playing a significant role in the maintenance of peace and security in several countries, particularly in Somalia. Hon. Rugunda is due to meet the President of the UN General Assembly, and the remaining Representatives of the Security Council members: United States of America, Germany, Pakistan, Guatemala, Colombia, Morocco, and Portugal next week. Ugandas delegation comprises Lt. General Katumba Wamala, Commander of the Land Forces, UPDF, and Senior Government Officials. November 2, 2012