Kampala, Uganda — Uganda and Somalia are set to deepen their bilateral cooperation with the signing of three landmark memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during the Second Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) Investment and Business Summit, scheduled for October 7–8 in Kampala.
The high-profile summit will be graced by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, signaling strong political commitment to expanding economic ties between the two nations.
Held under the theme “Promoting Uganda-Somalia Partnership Through Trade, Investment and Tourism, and Harnessing Opportunities in Both Countries,” the summit aims to unlock new avenues for collaboration in key sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, and tourism.
The Joint Permanent Commission, established in 2022 to formalize cooperation frameworks, first convened in Kampala in August of the same year. Since then, both nations have intensified diplomatic and economic engagements, with Somalia emerging as a significant trade destination for Ugandan exports such as poultry, dairy, and grains.
The upcoming MoUs are expected to focus on trade facilitation, investment protection, and tourism development — laying the groundwork for private sector partnerships and cross-border ventures.
Officials say the summit will feature business-to-business sessions, policy dialogues, and networking forums designed to connect Ugandan and Somali investors, entrepreneurs, and government agencies.
The agreements are anticipated to boost regional integration efforts under the East African Community framework, following Somalia’s recent admission into the bloc.
Both Kampala and Mogadishu view the JPC as a pivotal platform for transforming longstanding security cooperation — Uganda being a major troop contributor to African peace missions in Somalia — into robust economic collaboration.
If fully implemented, the new MoUs could usher in a new era of trade-led diplomacy between the two nations, setting the pace for broader Horn of Africa economic integration.