Uganda and Italy are exploring deeper defence cooperation following a high-level meeting between the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and senior officials from the Italian government and aerospace industry.

General Muhoozi on Tuesday hosted His Excellency Mauro Massoni, the Italian Ambassador to Uganda, together with Mr. Claudio Sabatino, Vice President - Africa of Leonardo Aircraft Division, at the Special Forces Command (SFC) Headquarters in Entebbe.

The engagement, which was attended by senior commanders from the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Air Force, focused on potential areas of collaboration in defence and security. According to the UPDF, the discussions covered opportunities in modern aviation systems, training, technology transfer, and defence modernisation.

Leonardo is one of the world's leading aerospace and defence companies, and its involvement signals interest in strengthening Uganda's aviation capabilities.

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Uganda and Italy have enjoyed diplomatic ties for years, but the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in 2020 significantly elevated the partnership establishing a framework for structured collaboration in military training, equipment and technology acquisition, and knowledge exchange.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Giulio Michele Girardelli, Italy's Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, and Ms. Romina Grasso, the East Africa Manager for Leonardo Aeronautics.

The talks form part of Uganda's broader strategy to modernise its defence architecture, with a specific focus on enhancing Air Force capacity and building partnerships that support technology advancement.

In recent years, the UPDF has pursued cooperation with global defence firms to boost operational readiness and improve its ability to respond to regional security challenges, including peacekeeping and counter-terrorism operations.