ENTEBBE — President Yoweri Museveni has pledged Uganda’s support for the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and offered the country as a potential host for the bloc’s future headquarters as it prepares to relocate from Brussels, Belgium.
The commitment was made on Tuesday during a meeting with OACPS Secretary General H.E. Moussa Saleh Batraki at State House Entebbe. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, who serves as President of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly.
President Museveni welcomed the organisation’s ongoing reforms and reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation among developing countries.
“You can look at Uganda if you want to relocate here. We shall support you. The shift from Europe is also a good one, so I will support you,” President Museveni said.
OACPS Shifts Focus Beyond the European Union
Briefing the President, Secretary General Batraki said the OACPS has undergone a major transformation since member states resolved in 2019 to reposition it from an institution primarily coordinating development cooperation with the European Union into a broader political and economic alliance for South-South cooperation.
“The Heads of State wanted to create an alliance for South-South cooperation. The idea is to reinforce our political identity while ensuring our member states are aligned in addressing emerging global challenges,” he said.
Batraki revealed that when he assumed office a year ago, he inherited an organisation facing serious financial and operational difficulties.
“I found staff who had gone seven months without salaries. The organisation had accumulated debts exceeding €12 million and, remarkably, we had no permanent headquarters,” he said.
To stabilise the institution, he embarked on an extensive diplomatic campaign that culminated in the OACPS Summit held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in March this year, with support from King Mswati III of Eswatini.
The summit secured significant financial commitments from member states, including €4.5 million from Equatorial Guinea, €3 million from Angola and €1.5 million from Eswatini, alongside additional pledges from Tanzania, China and Barbados.
Uganda was represented at the summit by then Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo.
Uganda Invited to Host Headquarters
A major issue discussed during the meeting was the planned relocation of the OACPS headquarters from Brussels to one of its member states.
Batraki said maintaining the headquarters in Belgium no longer aligns with the organisation’s renewed vision.
“Our Heads of State agreed that we cannot continue spending our resources in Europe when the organisation belongs to its member states. They instructed me to identify suitable countries where the headquarters could be relocated,” he said.
He explained that while the OACPS will maintain a liaison office in Brussels to coordinate implementation of the Samoa Agreement with the European Union, its principal headquarters should be based within a member state.
“We currently have offices in Geneva handling trade issues, Equatorial Guinea handling triangular negotiations, and we are establishing another office in Nigeria focusing on diaspora affairs. The headquarters should now also be located within one of our member states,” he said.
Batraki disclosed that Uganda is among the countries under consideration. “We believe Uganda can be one of the countries considered. We wanted to know whether this would be acceptable to Your Excellency.”
President Museveni welcomed the proposal and assured the Secretary General of Uganda’s full support.
Three Strategic Priorities
Batraki outlined three priorities that will guide the organisation’s future agenda.
The first is expanding trade among member states by promoting investment, technology transfer and knowledge sharing. The second focuses on climate resilience through environmental conservation, sustainable management of oceans and responsible utilisation of natural resources and minerals.
The third priority is digital governance, with emphasis on digital sovereignty to ensure member states retain ownership and control over their strategic data and digital infrastructure.
He said these priorities are intended to deepen cooperation among developing countries while reducing dependence on external partners.
New Partnerships and Agricultural Investment
The Secretary General also highlighted plans to expand partnerships across the Global South, including collaboration with Indonesia to host a Global Business Forum in 2027 aimed at promoting trade, investment and public-private partnerships.
He further revealed plans for a proposed €5 billion agricultural programme with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to enhance agricultural technology and strengthen food security across member states.
“We hope to conclude the project before the end of this year so that many of our member states can benefit,” he said.
Batraki congratulated Uganda on ratifying the Samoa Agreement, describing it as an important milestone in strengthening cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union.
“The organisation should continue working with the European Union, but it should not be viewed as belonging to the European Union. It belongs to its member states,” he said.
Tayebwa Seeks Support for Uganda’s International Bids
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa commended President Museveni’s longstanding support for South-South cooperation, saying he was confident Uganda would stand behind the organisation.
“I said to myself that President Museveni has always supported South-South cooperation, and I believed Uganda would contribute something,” Tayebwa said.
Following the briefing, President Museveni announced that Uganda would make a financial contribution to support the organisation.
Tayebwa also revealed that Uganda has submitted a bid to host the next Joint Parliamentary Assembly in October next year, bringing together more than 200 legislators from Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and the European Union.
“We have requested that the next Joint Parliamentary Assembly takes place in Uganda in October next year. It will be an opportunity for more than 200 European delegates to come and witness Uganda’s transformation,” he said.
He further disclosed that Uganda is seeking diplomatic backing from OACPS member states for Ambassador Olara Otunnu’s candidature for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.