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Minister Odongo’s official visit to Turkey, where he attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, engaged in bilateral discussions with Turkish officials, emphasized the importance of global cooperation for peace, discussed economic cooperation, and explored investment opportunities for Uganda.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Jeje Odongo, has concluded his official visit to Türkiye during which the two countries agreed to deepen their diplomatic relations.

During the visit, he represented President Yoweri Museveni at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) held from March 1-3, 2024, and conducted other bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Forum.

The ADF serves as a high-level platform for discussions on various international issues. This year’s edition was held under the theme “Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil.”

Minister Odongo, during his intervention in one of the panel discussions, highlighted that global peace can only be achieved through collaborative efforts to understand the root causes and address the drivers of conflict.

He urged the international community to support conflict prevention initiatives undertaken by regional and sub-regional organizations and advocated for the reform of the UN Security Council to ensure its efficacy.

In emphasizing the importance of stronger international cooperation, he underscored the significance of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) as a robust pillar in addressing global challenges.

He emphasized that Uganda, as the Chair of NAM, will collectively work with other member countries to promote solidarity and multilateralism to further strengthen the Movement’s critical role within the United Nations.

On the sidelines of the ADF, Minister Odongo met with H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye.

They exchanged views on bilateral, regional, and international issues of concern. General Odongo commended the fraternal relations between the two countries and expressed appreciation to Türkiye for its assistance in infrastructural development, educational cooperation through scholarships, and foreign direct investment, among other areas of cooperation.

“We aim to further strengthen existing areas of cooperation and explore new fields,” he stated.

The Turkish Minister congratulated Uganda on the successful hosting of the recent NAM and G77/China Summits held in Kampala.

Both Ministers expressed satisfaction with the achievements in economic cooperation, noting the steady increase in bilateral trade.

They agreed to expedite the conclusion of outstanding investment promotion agreements and to convene the next meeting of the Turkey-Uganda Joint Economic Commission.

Regarding the security situation in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa, the Ministers exchanged views on the situations in different hotspots and agreed to continue consultations and support peace stabilization efforts.

The meeting also agreed to continue high-level visits and expand bilateral engagement.

While in Antalya, General Odongo, accompanied by Uganda’s Head of Mission in Turkey, H.E. Nusura Tiperu, also met with representatives of several Turkish enterprises and invited them to invest in Uganda’s priority sectors.

He tasked the Embassy in Ankara to follow up with prospective investors, directly link them to relevant sector regulators, and facilitate their exploration of business and investment opportunities in Uganda.