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Kampala Geopolitics Conference 2019 Programme Released
![[L-R] Gerald Odil-Alliance Francaise Kampala, Dr. Maxime Houinato-UN Women Uganda, Ambassador of France to Uganda H.E Jules-Armand Aniambossou, Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke-Makerere University, Winnie Watera-Reach a Hand Uganda and Mathias Kamp-Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung at a Press Conference on 2nd October 2019, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.](https://news.mak.ac.ug/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/field_image_Makerere-2nd-Kampala-Geopolitics-Press-Conference-2ndOct2019-Story.JPG)
The partners organising the Second Kampala Geopolitics Conference on Wednesday 2nd October, 2019 officially released the programme for the two-day event scheduled to take place on 17th and 18th October 2019. The release follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony on 31st July 2019 between partners; the Embassy of France in Uganda, Makerere University, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Uganda and South Sudan, UN Women Uganda, Alliance Francaise de Kampala and Reach A Hand Uganda.
Addressing the press conference ahead of the event, the Ambassador of France to Uganda H.E Jules-Armand Aniambossou could not hide his joy at once again visiting the famous Makerere University, which he described as “my second home in Kampala.” He noted that this year’s Kampala Geopolitics Conference will not only ride on the roaring success of the first edition but also seek to make it bigger and better.
“The Kampala Geopolitics Conference will for the first time incorporate the Student Debate featuring students from Makerere University. This is all aimed at training the young generation to embrace and promote the culture of academic debate at a global level,” added the Ambassador.
H.E. Aniambossou further noted that the world today is confronted by multifaceted challenges in the form of Climate Change, Insecurity, Global Health Challenges, as well as all those that the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seek to address. These challenges, he said, were unfortunately being addressed by two radically opposing approaches of disintegration; where parties withdraw into their smaller national or sub-national alliances and illusion; where parties are oblivious of the dangers posed.
“Our role as partners of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference is to introduce a third approach through bringing leading academics from Africa and the world together with diplomats, students and the public to reflect, debate and through disruption come up with a right solution” explained H.E. Aniambossou.
Speaking on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Manager Communication and International Relations, Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke thanked the partners for choosing Makerere University to host the successful Inaugural Kampala Geopolitics Conference in 2018. He added that this year’s event will host 18 roundtables and further exchange platforms on a variety of topics relating to; Global Challenges, Regional Trends, SDGs, Culture and Society.
“Makerere University is no longer the Ivory Tower where knowledge is generated and consumed internally. Through events such as Kampala Geopolitics Conference, we are reviving the spirit of debate and opening our gates to create an interactive and dynamic platform for dialogue and free exchange of ideas cutting across contemporary, local and international geopolitics” remarked Dr. Kiggundu-Musoke.
Mr. Mathias Kamp the Country Representative, KAS Uganda and South Sudan shared that the 2nd Kampala Geopolitics Conference is a fulfilment by the partners to Prof. Nawangwe and Makerere University that event would not be a one-off.
“In my view, the Kampala Geopolitics Conference is not just an event but an institution on its own already. This is the number one flagship event for KAS and the largest on our annual calendar. It provides us with the rare opportunity to bring the full force of our Think Tank Network from around the world to Makerere University to freely exchange ideas and debate various topics related to geopolitics” he shared.
Mr. Kamp added that the choice of Makerere University as host is a vote of confidence in its reputation as a Centre of Excellence in not only teaching, research and knowledge transfer but also in Academic Discourse and Debate. “I therefore urge us all to have a disruptive engagement at the Kampala Geopolitics Conference 2019 because the ideas that move the world are often born in universities.”
In his remarks, the UN Women Country Representative to Uganda, Dr. Maxime Houinato, shared that one of his biggest regrets is never having secured his PhD from Makerere University, an icon of academic excellence in Africa. He nevertheless congratulated Makerere upon the strong resolve to tackle head-on the vice of sexual harassment among students and staff.
He stated that the advent of the SDGs in 2015 marked a shift of the UN strategy from inward looking standalone solutions to outbound, broad based and interdependent approaches to making the world a better place by 2030.
“As such, partnership through platforms like the Kampala Geopolitics Conference and strategic thinking are critical to fuel discussion and development both globally and in Africa,” stated Dr. Houinato.
The UN Women Country Representative further challenged the media to raise the bar in terms of the conversation on geopolitics and carry the message beyond the immediate audience in Makerere University. “I know that the media is meant to be independent but in the face of extreme poverty, injustice and discrimination, the media needs to take sides in order to address inequality.”
The two-day event is set to be held in the Main Hall and Senior Common Room in the Main Building as well as the Freedom Square. It will be graced by a number of Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Uganda, in addition to the partner Ambassador, H.E Jules-Armand Aniambossou. These will include; the German Ambassador-H.E. Albrecht Conze, US Ambassador-H.E. Deborah Malac and the EU Ambassador-H.E. Attilio Pacific.
Please see Downloads for Conference Programme and Concept Note.
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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