The minister of defence and veteran affairs, Jacob Marksons Oboth, has urged Türkiye to set up a defence manufacturing hub in Uganda to take advantage of the country’s continental location.
This was during a meeting with a Turkish delegation in Kampala, where Oboth highlighted the potential for Uganda to build on existing agreements with Türkiye dating back to 2016.
The minister “suggested that Uganda could serve as a regional base, similar to Türkiye’s role in Asia and Europe.”
Earlier agreements between the two states include a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and defence cooperation in areas such as technology transfer, research, and training, were emphasised as key to future collaboration, according to the ministry.
“This is our hope: that these agreements translate into tangible projects. Partnering with Türkiye in business and cooperation will allow us to build capacity and set trends in the defence industry,” Oboth said.
The army said “The collaboration will be facilitated by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the commercial arm of the MODVA and the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF).”
Mehmet Fatih Ak, Turkey’s envoy to Uganda, pledged his country’s commitment to furthering the partnership, underscoring Uganda’s strategic importance.
“Uganda is a stable country with a strong army, contributing to regional stability. This collaboration opens new opportunities for both nations,” the diplomat said.
Lt Gen James Mugira, Managing Director of NEC, said there had been a shift in the Uganda-Türkiye relationship from a buyer-seller dynamic to one of capacity-building.
“Now we will be able to build capacity as a country, and that’s when we benefit from this relationship that will be a win-win for both sides,” the General said.
Uganda currently manufactures various military equipment, which are sold to regional countries and for domestic use.
