General
Mak Set to Host 4th Kampala Geopolitics Conference
Makerere University in conjunction with the Embassy of France in Uganda in partnership with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), Alliance Française de Kampala and UN Women Uganda is set to host the Fourth Edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference from Wednesday 10th to Friday 12th November 2021.
The Conference to be held in line with the theme Crisis and Opportunity: Mapping the Geopolitical Importance of Africa is aimed at creating an interactive and dynamic platform for dialogue and free exchange of ideas between experts from Uganda and their counterparts from the African continent as well as from around the world.
Speaking at the Press Conference held in the Central Teaching Facility 2 (CTF2) Auditorium on Tuesday 2nd November 2021 to officially launch the event, the Principal College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) Dr. Eria Hisali who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked the partners for choosing Makerere University to once again host the Kampala Geopolitics Conference.
“We commit all our resources to ensuring that we have successful conference this November. Our job as academics will be to take discussion beyond the conference sessions of the three-day event” said Dr. Hisali.
Addressing the press, the Ambasssador of France to Uganda, H.E. Jules-Armand Aniambossou the Fourth Edition of the Conference will bring together researchers, representatives from the civil society, international organizations and governments, artists, and entrepreneurs.
“The conference aims to give room for these global-shapers, issued from the national, regional and international levels, to share their expertise and to make their voice heard regarding the pressing issues our society and our planet are facing” he remarked.
He highlighted three issues of particular importance to France that the conference would help address. These are;
- Sport as a soft power tool through the case study of Olympics and Paralympics, as France makes preparations to host the Olympic Games in 2024.
- The development of a new Africa-European Union relationship within the framework of the post-Cotonou agreement signed in April 2020.
- The adoption of a new format of global interaction through the use of Twitter Space so as to promote local and international involvement of the public particularly the youth.
The Press Conference was also addressed by Ms. Adekemi Ndieli, the Deputy Country Representative, UN Women Uganda who congratulated Makerere University upon 100 years of shaping millions of minds as well as 30 years of the School of Women and Gender Studies (SWGS). She pledged her organisation’s commitment to partner with SWGS to empower more women, promote gender equality and fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in all its forms.
“We have seen in across the world and in Uganda what we call the ‘twin pandemic’ that is gender-based violence in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected young girls the most” she observed, noting that we cannot discuss geopolitics without voices of women.
Ms. Anna Reismann, Country Representative of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Uganda and South Sudan in her remarks appreciated the partners for their flexibility in postponing the Conference to November in order to allow for physical presence of students. “I come to Makerere often but it is good to now see students on the roads going about their business.”
She thanked Makerere University for accepting to host the Fourth Edition of the Conference, noting that, “this is an important path to return to normality and we take this opportunity to congratulate the university on its 100 years of existence.”
Dr. Patrice Gilles, the Director of Alliance Française de Kampala shared that his organisation shall offer an ardent cultural program in preparation for the Fourth Edition of the Conference.
“In close collaboration with the French Embassy, Alliance Française, KQ Hub and Citizen Report UG will offer an ardent cultural programme at the Kampala Geopolitics Conference. We shall have a photo exhibition to promote work of visual storytellers and a Quiz” remarked Dr. Gilles.
The first quiz on the Kampala Geopolitics Conference will be held on Friday 5th November, 2021 in a live session hosted on the Citizen Report UG twitter page.
General
Makerere University, DFCU Bank Sign MoU to Advance Innovation, Student Leadership and Research
By Eve Nakyanzi and Atwenda Nancy
Makerere University and DFCU Bank have today signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bolster innovation, student leadership, research and community impact initiatives.
The collaboration which will see the equipping of the Disability Support center for students living with disabilities through the MAK run and more leadership trainings for students will begin this July.
“The MoU will strengthen research collaborations across sectors like agriculture and health and it will also support the Mutebile Centre to assist private sector growth, which is crucial in lifting Africa out of poverty,” said Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor.
Speaking during the event, Mr. Charles M. Mudiwa, the DFCU Bank Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the move, noting its alignment with the bank’s mission to transform lives and support national development through four pillars: funding, financial inclusion, enterprise development, and vocational education.
“This MoU crowns years of effort and shared intent between our institutions,” he stated.
Mr. Mudiwa highlighted the bank’s commitment to skilling youth through internships, curriculum development, and support for innovation hubs and centres of excellence at the university.
“We consume the graduates of Makerere. In our most recent graduate intake of 87, 60% were Makerere alumni. The bank allocates around 30 internship positions annually to equip young people with the skills necessary for future roles within the institution,” Mr. Mudiwa, noted.
Representing the student body, Guild President His Excellency, Sentamu Churchill James, commended the partnership as a timely intervention that will empower youth, support SMEs, and expand internship and leadership development opportunities.
“Students are the heartbeat of the university. This collaboration will empower youth and strengthen their role in national development,” His Excellency Ssentamu, said.
About MAK RUN 2025
The Makerere Run 2025 (#MakRun2025), hosted by the Makerere University Endowment Fund (MAKEF) on 17th August 2025, returns for its fifth edition as Kampala’s premier charity marathon, uniting 8,000+ runners—students, alumni, corporate teams, and elite athletes—to tackle the city’s iconic hills under the theme “Run the Hills for the Future.” This landmark event combines competitive racing with transformative impact, channeling proceeds to strengthen Makerere University’s community programs while offering unmatched branding opportunities for partners through Kampala’s largest university-led sporting spectacle.
The Mak Run, scheduled this year for August 17th, is a flagship initiative that mobilizes students, staff, alumni, and partners to raise funds for projects such as the Disability Support Unit and the Student Centre.
The Writers are Interns in the Public Relations Office, Makerere University
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