General
Makerere, Partners Sign MoU for the 6th Edition of Kampala Geopolitics Conference
By Ritah Namisango
On September 11th 2023, Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe signed a memorandum of understanding with the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, UN women and Alliance Française Kampala for the 6th edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference scheduled to take place on the 17th and 18th October 2023.
The aim of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference is to stimulate debate and exchange between national and regional actors, the academia, scholars, researchers, civil society, students, media, and interested public, with experts from Eastern Africa and also Europe.
During the signing ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe re-affirmed the readiness of Makerere University to host the 6th edition of the Kampala Geopolitics conference. Prof. Nawangwe revealed that the conference provides students and the youth an opportunity to participate in high quality debate and intellectual discourse.
“The need to engage our students and youth who will end up taking on various leadership positions in the country with knowledge and a balanced perception as well as appreciation of national and global affairs on the topic of population growth cannot be overstated. It is our hope and prayer this year’s conference will fill our students and the youth with hope and a renewed sense of responsibility to take charge of their future,” he said. He also used the opportunity to welcome Mr. Eric Touzé who arrived in Uganda last week to assume his new role as the Director of Alliance Francaise Kampala.
According to the French Ambassador to Uganda H.E. Xavier Sticker, debate of ideas is a French value that his country cherishes since the era of the Philosophers of Enlightenment. “This embassy commits to continue to organize events to keep debates alive throughout the years with the special highlight taking place during the flagship plenary sessions of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference.”
The Ambassador acknowledged the IRIS (Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques), a French think tank specialized in the studies of geopolitics, which first came up with the idea of organizing, on a yearly basis, in the French city of Nantes, a global conference to debate major contemporary international relations.
Speaking on behalf of Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Director for the Regional Programme Security Dialogue for East Africa, Mr. Nils Wörmer highlighted that the East African region is a geopolitical theatre for great power conflicts and international projection and influence. “As the Western coast of the so-called Indo-Pacific theatre, East Africa plays an important role in the main unfolding geopolitical conflict of the 21st century, namely between China and US. What some experts call the “Red Sea Security Arena” in this regard, is right on our doorsteps and will be one of the topics to be discussed at the conference.”
Mr. Wörmer noted that during the last decade, international relations, for numerous reasons, developed more into the direction of conflict than cooperation. That a new systemic conflict is ever-present and great power rivalries make it difficult for almost any actor to remain in a neutral position, both in Africa and in Europe.
The UN Women Country Representative, Dr. Paulina Chiwangu said the 6th Kampala Geopolitics Conference will provide a platform to discuss the advancement of digital inclusion and economic opportunities for all, particularly in Uganda. “We hope to discuss the challenges in representation in the tech sector and how that has implications in bias in products design – including AI, the need for increasing education for girls in tech, and the need to enhance safety and access as critical for economic growth and inclusive job creation,” she said.
Dr. Paulina Chiwangu further said Kampala Geopolitics Conference is an excellent platform to bring diverse female voices and networks together to foster a culture of academic excellence, critical thinking, and inclusive policy making from the bottom up.
Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This MoU is one of several initiatives aimed at strengthening the university’s global collaborations and research partnerships.
In his remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe highlighted Makerere’s recent centenary celebrations as a testament to its long and influential history in Africa. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to serious, research-driven collaboration, noting Makerere’s aspiration to become a leading student-centered research university that develops solutions to regional challenges.
Prof. Nawangwe emphasized that Makerere’s research addresses critical issues such as widespread poverty, high youth unemployment, the devastating effects of climate change on agriculture, rapid population growth, and political interference in production. These challenges, he explained, call for climate-resilient agriculture, stronger health systems to address emerging diseases, and more inclusive governance. He further observed that Africa’s ambitious goal of producing one million PhDs in the next decade remains constrained by inadequate supervision capacity across the continent, stressing that collaborations like this MoU are key to bridging that gap.
EPRC Executive Director, Dr. Sarah Sewanyana, described the signing as particularly significant for EPRC and its Board of Directors as they embark on a new five-year strategic plan (2025/26–2029/30). She explained that the plan strongly emphasizes strategic collaborations, with this partnership serving as a prime example of leveraging collective strengths to deepen impact. She underscored EPRC’s role in advancing evidence-based policymaking for national development, aligning with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV.
Prof. James Wokadala, Acting Principal of CoBAMS, emphasized that the collaboration seeks to preserve and expand vital human knowledge while strengthening partnerships between academic institutions and global research networks. He noted that these networks are instrumental in advising legal and policy professionals, as well as aligning research agendas with both national and corporate priorities. He expressed pride in the extensive efforts of the School of Economics that have expanded these activities in recent years. He pointed to significant accomplishments that have been achieved in collaboration with IGC, including hosting a 2025 high-level international conference on mobile money payment systems, which positioned Makerere University as a thought leader on critical African economic issues. He also celebrated the successful bid by the School of Economics to host the ‘Africa Meeting of the Econometric Society’ in 2027, further demonstrating its contribution to impactful scholarship and policy influence.
The Acting Principal further emphasized that the new partnership with LSE will build on these achievements, offering immense benefits such as expanding capacity-building opportunities for faculty and students, especially in research and Public Infrastructure Management (PIM). The collaboration will also provide platforms for knowledge dissemination and policy dialogue, while addressing pressing socio-economic and health challenges. Ultimately, he said, formalisation of the partnership amplifies CoBAMS’ commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and innovation.
Speaking on behalf of LSE’s International Growth Centre (IGC), Executive Director Dr. Jonathan Leape expressed delight at formalizing the long-standing collaboration with Makerere and EPRC. He highlighted current joint projects, including research on the impact of the 2020 gender-based vaccine program on women’s skills and learning, studies on reforms in STEM education, and investigations into barriers limiting business growth for entrepreneurs. He stressed that the core mission is to bring researchers and policymakers together to address pressing policy challenges with robust, reliable evidence and innovative solutions.
The event, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by several dignitaries including Dr. Richard Newfarmer, Country Director for Uganda and Rwanda (IGC); Dr. Nhial Kuch, Senior Country Economist (IGC); and Mary Teddy Nakyejwe, IGC Programme Officer. Also present were the Director of Research, Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye and other members of EPRC leadership.
Makerere University has hosted a delegation from the Ghent University Association, led by Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice Rector of Ghent University. The delegation included representatives from Howest University and Hogent University of Applied Sciences.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe welcomed the team and highlighted Makerere University’s commitment to addressing the pressing challenges in the region. These include climate change, which continues to hinder investment, and Uganda’s rapidly growing population that has surged from 5 million in the late 1940s to nearly 50 million currently, creating socio-economic challenges such as high youth unemployment.
He emphasized that Makerere’s research agenda focuses on understanding the fast-growing population, tackling health challenges, advancing governance and human rights, and fostering peace through initiatives such as the Rotary Peace Center—the only one of its kind on the African continent. Research at Makerere also seeks to provide solutions to youth unemployment in one of the world’s youngest nations.
The Vice Chancellor further noted that Makerere University teaches and conducts research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, organized into colleges including Agriculture, Business and Management, Computing, Education and External Studies, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. The university also hosts over 60 specialized research centers, among them Centers of Excellence such as the Regional Centre for Crop Improvement, which works to enhance food security, manage pests and diseases, and improve agricultural productivity. Another key institution is the Infectious Diseases Institute, which leads research on HIV/AIDS. With these initiatives, he added, Makerere continues to expand its research footprint while strengthening global partnerships.
Prof. Van Herreweghe provided an overview of Ghent University, founded in 1817 and ranked among the top 100 universities globally for decades. With its motto “Dare to think,” Ghent University has built a strong international reputation. It also holds the distinction of being the only Belgian, and currently the only European, university with a campus in South Korea. Established in 2014, the campus offers bachelor’s programs in applied biotechnology.
She highlighted Ghent’s joint PhD programs, which are structured as sandwich programs to support African universities. Under this arrangement, PhD candidates spend two years funded at Ghent University and another two years at their home university (such as Makerere), with joint supervision from both institutions. These programs, she noted, are a strategic way of fostering international collaboration.
During the visit, Ghent University signed a Student Exchange Agreement with Makerere University to complement the existing Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement will pave the way for more joint initiatives and strengthen collaboration in the years ahead.
The delegation also included Mr. Lieven Theys, International Coordinator for Business Management at Howest University, who explained that Howest clusters its programs into three key domains: Design and Technology, Human Well-being and Health, and Business and Organization. Dr. Robin Stevens represented Hogent University of Applied Sciences, which runs programs across nine schools including Business and Management, Computer Sciences, Biosciences, Industrial Technology, Teacher Training, and Healthcare.
The visit, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by Makerere University officials and members of various colleges, among them Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) and Principal of the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Prof. Moses Musinguzi-Principal College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Prof. Julius Kikooma-Director Graduate Training, Assoc. Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze-Deputy Principal College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Assoc. Prof. James Wokadala-Deputy Principal College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Assoc. Prof. Richard Idro-Deputy Principal College of Health Sciences, and Dr. Cathy Mbidde, Manager of the Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak UniPod).
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