General
2nd Kampala Geopolitics Conference: The Role of Africa in the Geopolitical Space
The Second Kampala Geopolitics Conference was officially opened by the Ambassador of France to Uganda H.E Jules-Armand Aniambossou on 17th October 2019 in the Makerere University Main Hall. The event, attracted professors, researchers, politicians, diplomats, journalists, activists and key leaders from various countries around world to engage in an interactive debate on contemporary local and international issues.
Charles Onyango-Obbo’s rich keynote address opened doors for a discussion on the critical role of Africa and its culture in the geopolitical space. He triggered the audience’s minds to understand Africa at the extreme sides of benefits and losses using the Kategaya Doctrine; Africa in the world and the world in Africa.
According to Onyango-Obbo, Africa has a place in geopolitics defined by its natural resources and culture. Citing the Great Green Wall as one of Africa’s biggest contribution to the world, the legendary journalist said, “We are not as helpless as we seem, we have a greater good to give to the world, The Great Green Wall is a symbol of hope in the face of our biggest challenges of our time.”
The presentation was further enriched by several speakers discussing the role of Africa in various perspectives such as; technology, gender, economy, politics, culture among others.
The Second Kampala Geopolitics Conference was organized by the Embassy of France in Uganda in partnership with Makerere University, Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Alliance Française de Kampala (AFK), UN Women, the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (iRiS) and Reach A Hand Uganda.
Mr. Mathias Kamp the Country Representative, KAS Uganda and South Sudan shared that the two days’ Event (17th and 18th October 2019) also aimed at training the young generation to embrace and promote the culture of academic debate at a global level.
He said that the Kampala Geopolitics Conference is not just an event but an institution on its own. He added that Kampala Geopolitics is the grand platform for KAS Uganda and South Sudan to bring its Think Tank Network from around the world to Makerere University to debate various topics related to geopolitics.
Addressing dignitaries, international delegates and participants in the Makerere University Main Hall, H.E Jules-Armand Aniambossou cited the need for a new model to balance the world away from nationalism and unilateralism. According to him, the model must be based on new forms of regional and international cooperation in the respect of sovereignty.
“Universal values such as human rights, dignity and gender equality are also very important and to implement these values, we need to work on access to education, basic care and sustainable development. The battle is in front of us and that is the reason why France has decided to increase its development and humanitarian assistance,” he mentioned.
H.E. Aniambossou reiterated the French President, H.E. Emmanuel Macron’s statement that, “there is hope to save future generation from war by building world order based on law and helping humanity to move towards economic and social progress.”
The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe applauded African scholars for preserving and marketing African culture on the global map. The Vice Chancellor said that there is need for African universities to document the rich African history and the way it is influencing the people’s behavior globally.
“We are now truly part of the global economy and politics. We can no longer sit on one side and the world can no longer imagine that they will continue marginalizing Africans,” he said
With the captivating engagement, the participants were ushered into panel discussions on the following topics:
Diverse Power Struggle: transition to a multipolar political landscape
Who is Stealing Africa’s Wealth: Investment, trade and exploitation on the continent
Smart Cities for a Smarter Future: Urban trends transforming our daily lives
Happily, Ever After: Aftermath of revolution and uprising
Energy is the Key: Powering Africa’s economic transformation
World without Hunger: Utopia or a matter of time?
On Friday 18th October 2019, the following topics will be discussed;
The Machines are taking over: How robotics and Al will transform our societies?
The United States of Africa: Where is African Unity heading?
Major Targets, Minor Voices: Reflecting on conflicts through a female lens
Stealing the show: Are non-state actors ruling Global Governance?
Destructive Allies, Supportive Enemies? Revealing political influence of the Red Sea Arena
The Future of Aid: Administering the bitter medicine?
Other activities lined up included: art performances, market place of art and ideas, live studio by Media Challenge Initiative, exhibitions by artists, innovators and start-ups, students and youth-led initiatives and a democracy expo by Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung, Alliance Française De Kampala and Campus France.
Article by Nabatte Proscovia, Mak Public Relations Office.
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
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