The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially handed over the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Regional Cooperation) portfolio from John Mulimba to Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune during a formal ceremony held at the ministry headquarters in Kampala.
The handover was presided over by the Permanent Secretary, Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, and attended by senior ministry management and staff.
Bagiire commended Mulimba for what he described as his distinguished service, strategic engagement, and active role in advancing Uganda’s regional cooperation agenda.
He noted that a key highlight of the past five years has been Mulimba’s participation in Joint Permanent Commissions (JPCs) with Uganda’s key regional partners, which have contributed to strengthening economic diplomacy and improving market access.
“This year alone, five JPCs have been concluded, and they serve as a vehicle for opening up markets for Ugandan products,” Bagiire said, adding that the engagements have helped promote trade by addressing non-trade barriers.
He said the structured bilateral frameworks have enhanced Uganda’s trade relations, benefiting farmers, manufacturers, and exporters through improved regional market access. Bagiire wished Mulimba success in his future assignments.
In his remarks, Mulimba thanked President Yoweri Museveni for the opportunity to serve and commended the technical team at the ministry for their support and professionalism throughout his tenure.
“I found immense pleasure working with the team in promoting and defending Uganda’s foreign policy and will forever be part of the story of this Ministry,” Mulimba said.
He encouraged his successor to work closely with the technical staff to ensure continuity and effective delivery of the ministry’s mandate. Mulimba also pledged continued availability for consultation when needed.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining direct engagement with regional counterparts, noting that informal diplomatic contacts often help resolve challenges more efficiently than formal processes.
Mulimba further observed that much of the ministry’s work yields intangible but significant outcomes, particularly through closed-door negotiations that benefit Uganda across various government sectors.
Taking over the docket, Kasolo Kyeyune thanked his predecessor for the smooth transition and pledged to build on the existing foundations in advancing Uganda’s regional cooperation agenda.
He committed to strengthening diplomatic relations, expanding market access for Ugandan products, and promoting regional integration for socio-economic transformation.
Kasolo emphasized continuity in the ministry’s core priorities while bringing renewed energy to Uganda’s foreign policy implementation and regional engagement efforts.
