Roulette
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 15, 2010
- 5,579
- 5,381
US State Department's Statement on Rwanda
In light of information that Rwanda is supporting armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Department of State has decided it can no longer provide Foreign Military Financing (FMF) appropriated in the current fiscal year to Rwanda, considering a restriction imposed by the 2012 appropriation act.
As a result, we will not obligate $200,000 in Fiscal Year 2012 FMF funds that were intended to support a Rwandan academy for non-commissioned officers. These funds will be reallocated for programming in another country.
We will continue to provide assistance to Rwanda to enhance its capacity to support peacekeeping missions.
The Department continues to assess whether other steps should be taken in response to Rwanda's actions with respect to the DRC.
The United States government is deeply concerned about the evidence that Rwanda is implicated in the provision of support to Congolese rebel groups, including M23.
The United States has been actively engaged at the highest levels to urge Rwanda to halt and prevent the provision of such support, which threatens to undermine stability in the region.
Restraint, dialogue, and respect for each other's sovereignty offer the best opportunity for Rwanda and the DRC, with the support of their partners, to resume the difficult work of bringing peace and security to the broader region.
We are encouraged by the ongoing high-level dialogue among the states of the Great Lakes region, and we join the Security Council in taking note with interest of the communiqué issued by the eleven member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on July 12.
Developing a disciplined and unified army as part of a comprehensive security sector reform process remains critical to the stabilization of the DRC.
We support efforts to bring to justice alleged human rights abusers among the mutineers, including Bosco Ntaganda, who is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. We are concerned by reports that the mutineers have forcibly recruited child soldiers.
Hilary Fuller Renner
Spokesperson
Bureau of African Affairs
U.S. Department of State
Updates:
Economic sanction/Aid that has been officially withdrawn after the report:
- US$ 200,000 from the US (out of some 150Millions of the 2012 budget)
- US$ 6,1 Million from the Netherland (total amount for the 2012 budget)
- US$ 25 Million from the UK (out of some 118M expected for the 2012 budget)
- US$ 26 Million from Germany (for theperiod between 2012-2015)
- US$ 39 Million from the Scandinavian Board of the African Development Bank (2012 budget)
Legal sanction:/ Threats or actual legal actions that came as the result of the report
- Threat from the US government officials to send top Rwandan official including President Kagame to the ICC
In light of information that Rwanda is supporting armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Department of State has decided it can no longer provide Foreign Military Financing (FMF) appropriated in the current fiscal year to Rwanda, considering a restriction imposed by the 2012 appropriation act.
As a result, we will not obligate $200,000 in Fiscal Year 2012 FMF funds that were intended to support a Rwandan academy for non-commissioned officers. These funds will be reallocated for programming in another country.
We will continue to provide assistance to Rwanda to enhance its capacity to support peacekeeping missions.
The Department continues to assess whether other steps should be taken in response to Rwanda's actions with respect to the DRC.
The United States government is deeply concerned about the evidence that Rwanda is implicated in the provision of support to Congolese rebel groups, including M23.
The United States has been actively engaged at the highest levels to urge Rwanda to halt and prevent the provision of such support, which threatens to undermine stability in the region.
Restraint, dialogue, and respect for each other's sovereignty offer the best opportunity for Rwanda and the DRC, with the support of their partners, to resume the difficult work of bringing peace and security to the broader region.
We are encouraged by the ongoing high-level dialogue among the states of the Great Lakes region, and we join the Security Council in taking note with interest of the communiqué issued by the eleven member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on July 12.
Developing a disciplined and unified army as part of a comprehensive security sector reform process remains critical to the stabilization of the DRC.
We support efforts to bring to justice alleged human rights abusers among the mutineers, including Bosco Ntaganda, who is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. We are concerned by reports that the mutineers have forcibly recruited child soldiers.
Hilary Fuller Renner
Spokesperson
Bureau of African Affairs
U.S. Department of State
Updates:
Economic sanction/Aid that has been officially withdrawn after the report:
- US$ 200,000 from the US (out of some 150Millions of the 2012 budget)
- US$ 6,1 Million from the Netherland (total amount for the 2012 budget)
- US$ 25 Million from the UK (out of some 118M expected for the 2012 budget)
- US$ 26 Million from Germany (for theperiod between 2012-2015)
- US$ 39 Million from the Scandinavian Board of the African Development Bank (2012 budget)
Legal sanction:/ Threats or actual legal actions that came as the result of the report
- Threat from the US government officials to send top Rwandan official including President Kagame to the ICC