Entebbe, Uganda: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, industrialisation, renewable energy, fish farming and sustainable management of the River Nile following high-level talks held at State House Entebbe.
President El-Sisi, who is in Uganda on an official visit, was accompanied by Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, and Hani Sewilam, the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation.
The bilateral discussions focused on economic cooperation, regional peace and security, industrial development and water resource management within the Nile Basin.
Welcoming the Egyptian delegation, President Museveni called for practical partnerships aimed at fighting poverty and accelerating socio-economic transformation across Africa.
Museveni identified environmental degradation and wetland encroachment as major challenges affecting the Nile Basin, blaming the crisis on population pressure and limited economic opportunities.
The Ugandan leader proposed large-scale fish farming as part of the long-term solution to both poverty and environmental destruction.
“The biggest help I want from you is fish farming. Fish is in high demand globally, and this project can help our people move out of subsistence agriculture while also protecting the wetlands,” Museveni said.
The President noted that overdependence on low-productivity agriculture remains one of Africa’s biggest development challenges.
He said Uganda’s long-term strategy is to transition more citizens into manufacturing and services to reduce pressure on land while improving household incomes.
Museveni also emphasized the importance of electricity generation and renewable energy in driving industrialisation and economic growth.
Regional Peace and Pan-Africanism
On regional affairs, Museveni expressed concern over instability in Libya, the conflict in Palestine and tensions involving Iran, saying Africa should continue advocating for peaceful dialogue and negotiated solutions.
Reflecting on Africa’s liberation history, Museveni praised former leaders including Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere for supporting liberation struggles across Africa through the Organisation of African Unity Liberation Committee.
“We cannot remain silent when people continue to suffer through endless wars and instability,” Museveni said.
President El-Sisi congratulated Museveni upon his recent election victory and commended his leadership approach. “The world today is often driven by interests rather than justice and values, but Your Excellency continues to demonstrate wisdom and balance in leadership,” he said.
The Egyptian leader reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s development agenda, particularly in fish farming, renewable energy, industrialisation and value addition.
El-Sisi said Egypt would work with Uganda to establish modern aquaculture projects while encouraging Egyptian investors to explore opportunities within Uganda’s fish farming sector.
He also pledged support for Uganda’s renewable energy sector through Egyptian expertise and private investment.
Push for Value Addition
On industrialisation, El-Sisi urged African countries to prioritise value addition rather than exporting raw materials.
He identified iron ore, copper, leather processing, meat processing and fruit processing as sectors with major export and industrial growth potential. “The global market is thirsty for these products. Africa must process its raw materials and agricultural products to create jobs and generate more income,” El-Sisi said.
The Egyptian President further announced plans to establish a Joint Business Council aimed at strengthening trade and investment cooperation between Uganda and Egypt.
He also invited Museveni to attend the African Business Forum scheduled to take place in Egypt in June 2026.
The two leaders also discussed security challenges in Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Horn of Africa, reaffirming support for African-led peace initiatives and dialogue.
Nile Cooperation
On Nile cooperation, El-Sisi noted that Egypt faces severe water scarcity, with annual per capita water availability dropping below 500 cubic metres.
He stressed Egypt’s commitment to dialogue and cooperation with Nile Basin countries and called for sustainable and equitable utilisation of shared water resources.
In a joint communiqué issued after the meeting, the two leaders directed their institutions to operationalise outcomes from Museveni’s August 2025 visit to Egypt.
The communiqué highlighted plans to deepen cooperation in agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, water management and infrastructure development.
Egypt also reaffirmed readiness to finance and mobilise funding for water infrastructure projects in Uganda through the Nile Development Fund.
The leaders further agreed to strengthen collaboration under regional and continental frameworks including the African Union, African Continental Free Trade Area and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa in line with Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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