Nine Questions for Sean Poole
Scott Nielsen
AFRICOM Public Affairs

The Counter-LRA Program Manager of for Invisible Children, Sean Poole, visited U.S. Africa Command Headquarters to discuss the work Invisible Children is doing with the African Union Regional Task Force to defeat the Lord’s Resistance Army and take down their leader, Joseph Kony.

Poole spoke at a Brown Bag Luncheon at U.S. Africa Command Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, about the role cooperation between NGOs and the military in counter- LRA operations. 

Invisible Children is the largest civilian contributor to security information and LRA-focused defection programming in Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. Invisible Children was founded in 2004 to bring awareness to the LRA and put an end to the practice of using children as soldiers. Their flagship video, Kony 2012, once held the title of most viewed internet video of all time.

Thanks for joining us here at U.S. Africa Command Headquarters Sean.

1. How do you see the efforts of U.S. Africa Command and Invisible Children working together?
Coming up here and saying we want you to understand what we are doing, and we want to understand what you are doing. Let’s complement each other We have 83 radio stations which are tracking the LRA and informing the local populations of LRA activities, and we think about how that information can be better used.  When we look at our LRA defection program, we are both trying to pull them out of the bush peacefully.

2. How has the LRA reacted to the collective efforts?
I think during and after Invisible Children, programming has been implemented and we’ve seen a positive response- a decline in LRA activity and violence towards communities. For example, we’ve seen a 44 percent decrease in LRA activity in DRC and we’ve focused a lot of our implementation on the DRC and defections and collecting information on LRA movements. All of the efforts are working in unison to say it’s not just the Ugandans, or the AU, or the U.S. or Invisible Children and our partners; it is a collaboration.

3. How do you see Joseph Kony and the LRA ending?
I think the story arch goes- Kony is continually depleted by LRA defections.  His force is less capable to operate. This forces him into corners and into places where he doesn’t want to be because it is increasing his signature. I think communities are safer and the LRA isn’t able to get food and supplies from these communities, which increases [the LRA] desperation. Then I think the AU Regional Task Force capitalizes on his desperation, corners Kony, and an operation is led by the AU to take him out.

4. You mentioned your stabilization efforts. Is that going to be the next step for IC?
Yes, this is an area which will continue to have security threats. We need to work within the communities and improve the structures which currently exist. Engage them on what is available. Improve the accessibility to education, economic activities, and developing the economy.

5. What does the post Kony environment look like?
Once he is gone, then there will be a focus on the communities which have been affected by the LRA. Help to build them and provide stability to help them become prosperous.

6. Do you look forward to U.S. Africa Command working with you on these efforts?
I think U.S. Africa Command has a lot to offer these regions.

7. What are your thoughts on U.S. Africa Command?
My first exposure to U.S. Africa Command was in 2008 at a meeting with the Ugandan Ambassador. AFRICOM was still relatively controversial because there was still uncertainty about what it’s role was on the African continent. But what I’ve seen on the ground since then is that AFRICOM is taking a positive approach in saying there needs to be African-led solutions to African problems; that they want to work through the governments, and solve these problems in way that is not just a quick fix and comeback in 5 years to fix the next one. AFRICOM is working through things like the AU so that moving forward, there are some foundations to build off of.

8. Do you have a message for the people who serve under this command?
I think that there is room for valuable collaboration between military and NGOs. The relationships can be difficult sometimes, but let’s find tangible ways we can work together, leverage our resources, and share knowledge. When we are operating in our own lanes, we are only so effective. But we can be very effective when we work together. I also want to say I’m proud of what U.S. Africa Command is doing on the continent. I’ve seen U.S. Africa Command personnel working on the continent; working in a way that adds value and that represents America well through solving some very complex problems which affect some very vulnerable populations.