Uganda will host the second session of the Uganda‑Somalia Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) and an Investment and Business Summit from 7‑8 October 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 the summit aim to review progress in bilateral cooperation and to unlock new trade and investment opportunities between the two nations. 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 trade and investment opportunities available in Somalia. While Ugandan firms have been active in Somalia, the reverse has been limited; the summit therefore aims to create a more balanced trade relationship.
The two countries share a long‑standing relationship, with a Somali community in Uganda dating back to the 1920s. Uganda opened a permanent mission in Somalia in 2014, and a 2016 framework agreement allowed individual ministries to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation under the oversight of the JPC.
Ambassador Abdi Latif Ali, Deputy Ambassador of Somalia to Uganda, expressed gratitude for the second JPC session, noting that the 2016 framework agreement laid the foundation for the commission, whose first session was held in Kampala in 2022. New MoUs are expected in areas such as education, migration, labour, security, health and refugee affairs. The partnership is projected to bolster bilateral cooperation, regional peace and East African Community integration. Ambassador Ali highlighted economic cooperation examples, including the potential for Ugandan avocados to reach Somali markets at higher prices.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by Ambassador Richard Kabonero, thanked both missions for their efforts toward the JPC. He noted Uganda’s expanding export base, adding 31 new products to its export markets over the past 15 years, with neighboring countries and the region serving as key markets.
The upcoming JPC session and Investment and Business Summit represent significant steps toward strengthening economic ties between Uganda and Somalia, expected to unlock new trade and investment opportunities, promote cooperation, and reinforce the bilateral relationship.
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