Uganda has moved to strengthen defence cooperation with Egypt and Türkiye, with Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka seeking expanded military training, technology transfer and knowledge-sharing partnerships with the two countries.
The renewed commitment was made during separate meetings between Kiwanuka and Egypt's Defence Attaché Col Ahmed Harb and Türkiye's Military Attaché to Uganda Col Caner Sağlam at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya.
According to the ministry, the discussions focused on strengthening bilateral defence relations through military training programmes, defence technology cooperation, knowledge exchange and broader security collaboration.
During his meeting with the Egyptian delegation, Kiwanuka described Uganda's relationship with Egypt as strategic and longstanding, anchored by shared interests, including the River Nile.
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"We are tied by the providence of God. This is not a relationship that we are forging; it is one that already exists and cannot be separated. We welcome all the support, the strong relations we have built, and the military training programmes that continue to benefit our countries," Kiwanuka said.
The minister praised the continued exchange of military personnel between the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Egyptian Armed Forces, saying such programmes have strengthened cooperation between the two countries.
"When I was in Kimaka, I was pleased to see one of your officers training here. I know that we have officers who have also trained in Egypt, and we look forward to continuing that relationship," he said.
Kiwanuka also appreciated Egypt's support towards Uganda's efforts to manage foot-and-mouth disease through vaccine assistance.
"We sincerely appreciate your support on the foot-and-mouth disease vaccination programme. It has been of great help. Although we recently experienced a small outbreak, it was nothing compared to what we have seen before because of the support you extended to us," he said.
Col Harb reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to expanding military cooperation with Uganda and invited Kiwanuka to attend this year's Egyptian Armed Forces Day celebrations scheduled for October.
"For the past three years, the Egyptian Armed Forces have organised a major Armed Forces Day celebration. This year's event will be held in October, and I hope you will honour us by attending," Harb said.
In a separate engagement with Türkiye's military representative, Kiwanuka said Uganda intends to deepen its defence partnership with Ankara, particularly in military training and defence technology.
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"Uganda and Türkiye have enjoyed a long-standing relationship. We appreciate the military training, technology and knowledge transfer support that we have received from Türkiye. We are committed to strengthening this cooperation, especially through continuous training for UPDF officers, which remains a priority," Kiwanuka said.
Col Sağlam said defence relations between Uganda and Türkiye have continued to grow through bilateral defence agreements, military training programmes and joint exercises.
He added that Türkiye remains committed to expanding cooperation with Uganda in areas of mutual interest.
The engagements come as Uganda continues to strengthen international defence partnerships focused on enhancing military professionalism, improving capabilities and promoting security cooperation with strategic partners.
