Gen Jeje Odongo urges Ugandan Ambassadors to align diplomacy with national dev’t goals

Gen. Odongo Jeje , Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has called on Ugandan Ambassadors and Heads of Missions abroad to align their diplomatic efforts with the country’s national development framework, including Vision 2040 and the Third National Development Plan.

Speaking at the opening of the Ambassadors’ conference held at the Civil Service College in Jinja, Gen. Odongo emphasized the need for Uganda’s foreign policy to drive economic growth and regional integration. The conference aims to enhance performance, foster innovation among missions, and facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.

“If Uganda’s foreign service delivers on the objectives of the different national priorities, programmes, and objectives, we shall have played a very important historic role in the transformation of our country,” Gen. Odongo stated. “We must ensure that our foreign policy work contributes to the realization of our national development aspirations.”

The minister highlighted economic and commercial diplomacy as key drivers of Uganda’s development, stressing the importance of promoting value addition, industrialization, and trade. “Economic and commercial diplomacy has taken center stage in our foreign policy work,” he noted. “We must leverage our diplomatic presence abroad to attract investment, technology, and expertise that can drive Uganda’s economic transformation.”

Gen. Odongo also underscored the significance of regional cooperation and integration, citing the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area as essential frameworks for promoting intra-African trade. “These are important and strategic pillars for Uganda’s national development,” he said.

Addressing the pressing challenges to regional peace and security, Gen. Odongo highlighted the ongoing armed conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, as well as the political differences in South Sudan. He emphasized Uganda’s role in promoting peace and security in the region, leveraging its experience and influence to foster stability and cooperation. He also expressed concern over the fragile situation in Somalia, noting the importance of ensuring that gains made by the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) are not lost during the post-ATMIS transition.

On human rights and governance, Gen. Odongo stressed the need for sustained engagement and dialogue to address concerns and misconceptions. “We need to have continuous engagement and dialogue to generate better appreciation of some of the situations causing discomfort to our partners,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire, emphasized the need for effective and efficient approaches to promoting economic and commercial diplomacy, particularly in agro-industrialization, tourism promotion, mineral development, and science and technology. He called for concerted efforts to attract investors, eliminate non-tariff barriers, and enhance trade relations.

The conference will also assess mission performance and innovation, with awards for top performers. Bagiire commended some Heads of Mission for their commitment to effective service delivery but expressed concern over those who have disregarded official guidance, leading to conflicts within their teams.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been active in coordinating and mobilizing grants for national development, including a $5.3 million grant from the Chinese Government to finance the extension of the Ministry’s building.

The conference continues with a focus on aligning Uganda’s foreign policy with its national development goals and recognizing top-performing missions.