Uganda is set to host the 2nd Session of the Uganda-Somalia Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) and an Investment and Business Summit from October 7-8, 2025, at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala. The event, themed “Promoting Uganda-Somalia Partnership through Investment, Trade and Tourism, and Harnessing Opportunities in Both Countries,” will be attended by Presidents Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The JPC and Investment and Business Summit aim to review bilateral cooperation progress and unlock new trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. Senior government officials, business leaders, and private sector representatives from Uganda and Somalia will gather to discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation and promote investment.
According to Prof. Sam Tulya Muhika, Head of Mission at the Uganda Embassy in Somalia, the summit seeks to raise awareness among Ugandan businesses about the available trade and investment opportunities in Somalia. While Ugandans have been engaging in business with Somalia, the reverse has been limited, and the summit aims to create a balanced trade relationship.
The two countries have a long-standing relationship, with the Somali community in Uganda dating back to the 1920s. In 2014, Uganda established a permanent mission in Somalia, and in 2016, a framework agreement was signed, allowing individual ministries to enter into Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation and implementation under the oversight of the JPC.
Amb. Abdi Latif Ali, Deputy Ambassador of Somalia to Uganda, expressed gratitude for the second session of the JPC, highlighting the deep bilateral ties between the two countries. He noted that the 2016 framework agreement laid the foundation for the JPC, whose first session was held in Kampala in 2022. New MoUs are expected to be signed in areas such as education, migration, labor, security, health, and refugee affairs.
The partnership between Uganda and Somalia is expected to contribute to bilateral cooperation, regional peace, and East African Community (EAC) integration. Amb. Ali cited examples of economic cooperation, including the potential for Ugandan avocados to reach Somali markets at higher prices, highlighting trade opportunities.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by Amb. Richard Kabonero, thanked both missions for their efforts toward the JPC. He highlighted Uganda’s expanding export base, noting that the country has added 31 new products to its export markets in the last 15 years, with neighboring countries and the region being key markets.
The upcoming JPC and Investment and Business Summit are significant steps towards strengthening the economic ties between Uganda and Somalia. The event is expected to unlock new trade and investment opportunities, promote economic cooperation, and reinforce the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
