Another sign of progress: U.S. State Department issues statement supporting peace in Uganda

In yet another sign of how much U.S. policy toward the crisis in northern Uganda has shifted in the past year, the US State Department yesterday released a statement reiterating its support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between the LRA and Ugandan government. Just a year ago, the U.S. wasn't supporting the negotiations and appeared to be indifferent toward the conflict's resolution. With more people than ever before taking action for peace, that is no longer the case.

The statement calls on LRA leader Joseph Kony to sign the Final Peace Agreement (FPA) and pledges US support for the Ugandan government in implementing aspects of the deal. It also condemns recent LRA attacks and abductions and pledges US support to initiatives to protect civilians in the region. The statement comes at an uncertain time in the conflict, as efforts to revitalize the peace process coincide with reports of LRA movements near the Ugandan border. Read the full statement here.