President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged Somali leaders and citizens to unite against Al-Shabaab, warning that ideological divisions and a failure to correctly identify the country’s challenges have undermined efforts to achieve lasting peace.
President Museveni made the remarks on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at State House, Entebbe, where the two leaders also discussed expanding bilateral trade, including direct access for Ugandan coffee to the Somali market.
“The problem of Somalia is ideological and a misdiagnosis of problems,” President Museveni said, drawing parallels with other African countries where divisions have contributed to political instability and exclusion.
He called for a united approach to confronting the country’s security challenges, arguing that divisions among the majority could allow a smaller group to maintain influence.
“All the problems you’re talking about, we know them. We need to be organised and stand with the main problem,” he said.
“Unite the many to defeat the few, but some Africans want to annoy the many to stay with the few,” President Museveni added.
The discussions focused on Somalia’s security situation, particularly the fight against Al-Shabaab, as well as strengthening economic cooperation between Kampala and Mogadishu.
President Mohamud briefed President Museveni on developments in Somalia and commended the contribution of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to regional peace and security efforts.
Ugandan troops have participated in African Union-led peace support operations in Somalia, supporting Somali security forces in efforts to combat Al-Shabaab and stabilise the country.
President Mohamud thanked Uganda for its continued military support and expressed hope that Ugandan troops would remain in Somalia longer to help achieve lasting peace and stability.
Al-Shabaab continues to pose a major security threat in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa, prompting continued cooperation among Somali authorities, African partners and the international community.
The Somali leader also thanked Uganda for providing a welcoming environment for Somali nationals living, studying and doing business in the country.
Somalia’s Ambassador to Uganda, Fardowsa Mohamed Qanyare, told the meeting that approximately 8,000 Somalis operate businesses in Uganda, while about 15,000 Somali students are enrolled at Ugandan universities.
Uganda seeks direct access to Somali coffee market
The two presidents also discussed ways to expand bilateral trade, with a particular focus on increasing Ugandan exports to Somalia.
President Museveni welcomed the development that Somalia had permitted Uganda to establish a warehouse in the country to market and sell processed Ugandan coffee.
The proposed arrangement is expected to give Ugandan exporters a more direct route to Somali consumers, potentially reducing reliance on intermediaries and strengthening commercial links between the two countries.
Nelson Tugume, who recently returned from Somalia, told the leaders that the country imports coffee from European markets, with Ugandan coffee reportedly passing through other markets before reaching Somali consumers.
The warehouse initiative could help Ugandan exporters access the Somali market more directly while creating opportunities for trade and investment.
The discussions underscored efforts by the two governments to complement security cooperation with economic partnerships aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and opening new markets for their products.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Haruna Kasolo; the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Huda Abason Oleru; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire; and Uganda’s Ambassador to Somalia, Prof. Sam Tulya-Muhika.