Uganda Among 23 Countries on US 'Do Not Travel' List in Latest Travel Advisory

Uganda has been included among 23 countries placed under the United States government's Level 4 travel advisory, the highest warning level.

In an advisory on Monday, November 9, the US government stated that Level 4 advisories were issued where conditions posed significant risks to travellers or limited the government's ability to assist Americans.

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"We issue Travel Advisories with Levels 1 - 4. Level 4 means do not travel. We assign Level 4 based on local conditions and/or our limited ability to help Americans there. These places are dangerous. Do not go for any reason," the notice read.

Uganda was listed alongside 22 other countries, including Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burma, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Other countries on the list were Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

This comes weeks after the US announced sanctions against Rwanda’s Ministry of Defense and Zigama Credit and Savings Society over their alleged support for the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In a statement on Wednesday, October 28, the US Department of State accused Rwanda’s military of supporting M23 through troop deployments, weapons supplies and training.

"The United States is sanctioning Rwanda’s Ministry of Defense and Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a financial institution that serves Rwanda’s security services, for supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)," the statement read.

The US government further accused Rwandan forces of fighting alongside M23 in North and South Kivu provinces, where the armed group has been involved in the conflict with Congolese government forces.

The State Department said the alleged military support included the provision of weapons and training, as well as the deployment of equipment that could pose risks to civilian aviation.

"Thousands of Rwanda Defense Force troops fight alongside M23 in North and South Kivu provinces and have supplied the group with weapons and training. Rwandan troops have also brought in surface-to-air missiles and jamming equipment that endanger civilian aviation," the statement added.

The US government called on Rwanda to end its backing of the armed group and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC, while warning against the exploitation of the country’s natural resources by armed groups and their state sponsors.

"Rwanda must stop supporting M23 and any successor armed groups and withdraw its forces from eastern DRC. Moreover, armed groups and their state sponsors must not profit from the DRC’s natural resources," the statement further read.