President Museveni has called on Somali leaders and citizens to unite against Al-Shabaab, saying ideological divisions and a failure to identify the root causes of the country’s problems have hindered efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability.
Museveni made the remarks on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at State House, Entebbe, as part of the latter’s official visit to Uganda.
The two leaders discussed Somalia’s security situation, particularly efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab, as well as opportunities to strengthen trade and economic cooperation between Uganda and Somalia.
Museveni said Somalia needed a clear understanding of the causes of its challenges and a united approach to addressing them. He warned that divisions among the majority could allow smaller groups to retain influence.
“The problem of Somalia is ideological and a misdiagnosis of problems,” Museveni said, drawing comparisons with other African countries, including Sudan, where sectarian divisions have contributed to political tensions and exclusion.
“All the problems you’re talking about, we know them. We need to be organised and stand with the main problem,” he said.
“Unite the many to defeat the few, but some Africans want to annoy the many to stay with the few,” he added.
The President stressed that political unity and a shared understanding of the country’s challenges were essential to confronting the threats facing Somalia.
During the meeting, Mohamud briefed Museveni on the security situation in Somalia and commended the contribution of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to peace support efforts in the country.
Ugandan troops have participated in African Union-led operations in Somalia, supporting local security forces in efforts to combat Al-Shabaab, an armed group that continues to pose a major threat to the country’s stability.
Mohamud thanked Uganda for its continued military support and expressed hope that Ugandan troops would remain in Somalia longer to help consolidate security and achieve lasting peace.
Somalia continues to rely on support from regional and international partners as it works to strengthen its security institutions and counter the insurgency.
The Somali President also commended Uganda for providing a conducive environment for Somali nationals living, studying and conducting business in the country.
Somalia’s Ambassador to Uganda, Fardowsa Mohamed Qanyare, told the meeting that approximately 8,000 Somalis operate businesses in Uganda, while about 15,000 Somali students are enrolled at Ugandan universities.
The discussions also covered trade, with both sides exploring ways to improve market access for Ugandan products in Somalia.
Museveni welcomed a reported arrangement allowing Uganda to establish a warehouse in Somalia to facilitate the marketing and sale of processed Ugandan coffee.
The proposed facility is expected to give Ugandan exporters a more direct route to Somali consumers, potentially reducing reliance on intermediaries and strengthening commercial links between the two countries.
Nelson Tugume, who recently returned from Somalia, told the two presidents that Somalia imports coffee from European countries, with Ugandan coffee reportedly passing through other markets before reaching Somali consumers.
A warehouse in Somalia could help Ugandan exporters establish a more direct presence in the market, improve distribution and create opportunities to expand coffee sales.
The initiative would also complement broader efforts to deepen economic cooperation between Uganda and Somalia, with trade offering an additional avenue for strengthening relations beyond security partnerships.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Haruna Kasolo; the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Huda Abason Oleru; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire; and Uganda’s Ambassador to Somalia, Prof. Sam Tulya-Muhika.
