By Our Staff Reporter

ENTEBBE, Uganda — Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
July 28, 2026: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged Uganda’s full support to the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), offering the country as a potential host for the organisation’s future headquarters as it prepares to relocate from Brussels, Belgium.

The commitment was made during a meeting at State House Entebbe with the OACPS Secretary General, H.E. Moussa Saleh Batraki. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, who serves as President of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly.

President Museveni welcomed the organisation’s ongoing reforms and reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation among developing nations. He said Uganda was ready to host the OACPS headquarters should member states choose the country.

“You can look at Uganda if you want to relocate here. We shall support you. The shift from Europe is also a good one, so I will support you,” President Museveni said.

Secretary General Batraki explained that the OACPS has transformed from an organisation focused primarily on development cooperation with the European Union into a broader political and economic alliance promoting collaboration among countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

He revealed that when he assumed office a year ago, the organisation was facing serious financial and operational difficulties, including debts exceeding €12 million, unpaid staff salaries, and the absence of a permanent headquarters.

According to Batraki, member states have since rallied behind efforts to revive the organisation. During the OACPS Summit held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in March 2026, several countries pledged financial support, including €4.5 million from Equatorial Guinea, €3 million from Angola and €1.5 million from Eswatini, alongside additional commitments from Tanzania, China and Barbados.

Batraki said relocating the headquarters from Brussels is part of the organisation’s new strategic direction, arguing that the institution should be based within one of its member states while maintaining a liaison office in Belgium to coordinate relations with the European Union under the Samoa Agreement.

He noted that Uganda is among the countries under consideration to host the headquarters and sought President Museveni’s endorsement of the proposal.

The President welcomed the idea, assuring the Secretary General of Uganda’s full support for the relocation process and the organisation’s broader reform agenda.

Batraki also outlined the OACPS’s three strategic priorities: expanding trade among member states, strengthening climate resilience through sustainable management of natural resources, and promoting digital governance to ensure member countries retain control over their data and digital infrastructure.

He further highlighted plans to deepen partnerships across the Global South, including a Global Business Forum to be hosted with Indonesia in 2027 and a proposed €5 billion agricultural programme with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aimed at improving agricultural technology and food security across member states.

The Secretary General congratulated Uganda for ratifying the Samoa Agreement, describing the move as an important step in strengthening cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union while preserving the organisation’s independence.

During the meeting, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa announced that Uganda is bidding to host the next OACPS-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly in October 2027. He said the event would bring more than 200 delegates from Europe and OACPS member states, providing an opportunity to showcase Uganda’s development and investment potential.

Tayebwa also disclosed that Uganda is seeking diplomatic support for Ambassador Olara Otunnu’s candidature for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.

The meeting underscored Uganda’s growing role in regional and international diplomacy as the country positions itself as a strategic partner in advancing cooperation among developing nations.