President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his Egyptian counterpart, H.E Abdel Fattah El-Sisi have pledged to deepen the historic ties between Uganda and Egypt, anchored by the River Nile and strengthened through decades of Pan-African solidarity.
The two leaders made the revelation during a joint press conference in Cairo on the second day of President Museveni’s three-day working visit at the invitation of President El-Sisi.
Museveni began by recalling the deep historical linkages between the two nations, both geographical and political. “Uganda and the Great Lakes region are linked to Egypt by the Nile from ancient times. Politically, our closeness began in 1952 when President Nasser took leadership here. Before that, we had little contact, but Nasser, as an Africanist, worked closely with our leaders, Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah and supported the anti-colonial movement,” he said.
“When we came into government, we started working with the leaders at that time.” The President stressed that the future of the Nile must be approached with a wider vision.
“Sometimes, the problem is the approach. Instead of limiting ourselves to historical rights, we should focus on the global needs of all Nile Basin countries,” he said.
“Prosperity for all, electricity for all, irrigation for all, and clean drinking water for all. If we include these in our framework, we can then use the most scientific and fair methods to achieve them,” he noted.
Museveni also challenged the perception that Uganda is landlocked, saying its natural connection to the Mediterranean through the Nile has only been hindered by political instability in Sudan. “If there were no problems in Sudan, we would not be called landlocked. We are connected to Egypt because of the Nile.”
On bilateral cooperation, President Museveni praised Egypt’s support in supplying Uganda with foot-and-mouth disease vaccines and welcomed the decision to establish a vaccine factory in Uganda. “I am very happy about that,” he said, adding that economic cooperation should be at the heart of Africa’s progress.
“Business is about two things, producing a good or service, and someone buying it. If leaders don’t understand this, there can be no prosperity. If you buy what I produce, you are supporting me, and vice versa. That’s why I am glad His Excellency is emphasizing business. Together, we will see how to produce, trade, create jobs, and develop electricity and irrigation for our people,” Museveni remarked.
He further warned against Africa’s overdependence on trade with Europe.“Some African countries made the mistake of focusing on trading only with Europe, but that’s risky; they can block you at any time. Why can’t we trade more among ourselves?” he inquired.
The two leaders also discussed regional challenges, including the situations in Libya, Sudan, and Palestine, with President Museveni emphasizing the need for dialogue and peace.
President El-Sisi, in his remarks, underscored the Nile River’s central role in the shared destiny of Egypt and Uganda. “The Nile binds us together. The bilateral ties between our two countries have recently witnessed growing cooperation, and I look forward to more partnerships,” he said.
President El-Sisi highlighted cooperation in water resource management, agriculture, veterinary disease control, natural resource development, and the energy sector.
He stressed that Egypt will always uphold international law to protect the Nile while supporting the development of other Basin countries.“Egypt has no other water source; we don’t have rainfall. The Nile is life for us. We are not against development in any Basin country, but we call for equitable sharing of water resources. We must coexist and ensure that development does not harm the people who depend entirely on this river,” he said.
He revealed that the Nile annually carries more than 160 billion cubic meters of water, with 85 billion cubic meters coming from the Blue Nile, much of which is used for agriculture. “This is why water is extremely critical for Egypt. Our people are deeply concerned about it, and we trust Uganda’s role in fostering agreements among Basin countries,” he added.
President El-Sisi closed by expressing gratitude to his Ugandan counterpart. “I thank President Museveni and welcome him to Egypt. Our discussions have demonstrated great understanding and a shared vision for the future.”
Meanwhile, earlier on, a series of landmark Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) covering key sectors from trade and investment to agriculture, water management, and community development were signed.
Presiding over the event, the two Heads of State looked on as ministers from both countries appended their signatures, committing their nations to closer cooperation.
Uganda’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, signed the first agreement with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Expatriates, H.E Dr BadrAbdelatty, paving the way for stronger collaboration in governance, security, and diplomatic engagement.
This was followed by the signing of a foreign affairs cooperation framework between Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry OkelloOryem, and Dr Abdelatty, aimed at strengthening political dialogue and regional coordination.
The spirit of collaboration extended to rural transformation and agriculture, with Alice Kaboyo, Uganda’s Minister of State for LuweroTriangle and Rwenzori Region, joining hands with Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, to formalize partnerships in agricultural technology transfer, land reclamation, and community development projects.
Economic growth took center stage as Uganda’s Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, Matia Kasaija, and Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El Khatib, signed an agreement to promote trade, investment, and joint ventures, promising to unlock new opportunities for business communities in both nations.
Water security and environmental sustainability were also high on the agenda where HBeatrice Anywar, Uganda’s Minister of State for Water and Environment, signed with Prof Dr Hani Sewilam, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, cementing cooperation in water resource management, irrigation development, and environmental protection.
