President Museveni receives Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at State House Entebbe
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Egypt has pledged to work with Uganda to establish modern fish farming projects and mobilise Egyptian investors to invest in Uganda’s aquaculture sector, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has said, as the two countries moved to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, renewable energy, industrialisation and sustainable management of the River Nile.
President El-Sisi made the commitment during bilateral talks with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House Entebbe on Tuesday, where the two leaders discussed practical ways of accelerating economic transformation and strengthening long-standing ties between Uganda and Egypt.
The Egyptian leader, who was on an official visit to Uganda, was accompanied by Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, and the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Prof. Hani Sewilam.
The discussions focused on cooperation in fish farming, renewable energy, industrialisation, regional peace and security, and water resource management under the Nile Basin framework.
President Museveni used the meeting to call for practical partnerships that directly address poverty and create jobs, particularly through large-scale aquaculture projects. He said Uganda was grappling with environmental degradation caused by encroachment on wetlands, as many people seek agricultural land because of population pressure and limited economic opportunities.
“The biggest help I want from you is fish farming. Fish is in high demand globally and this project can help our people move out of subsistence agriculture while also protecting the wetlands,” President Museveni said.
President El-Sisi responded by affirming Egypt’s readiness to support Uganda’s development agenda through expertise, investment and technology transfer in aquaculture and other productive sectors.
The Egyptian President also pledged support for Uganda’s renewable energy ambitions, saying Egyptian expertise and private investors would be encouraged to participate in the country’s energy sector. The commitment is expected to strengthen Uganda’s efforts to expand electricity access and support industrial growth.
President Museveni stressed that electricity and renewable energy remain central to Uganda’s industrialisation strategy, noting that the country seeks to transition more citizens from low-productivity agriculture into manufacturing and services.
He argued that one of the main characteristics of underdevelopment in Africa is excessive dependence on subsistence farming, which continues to place pressure on land and limits household incomes.
President El-Sisi, meanwhile, urged African countries to prioritise value addition and industrial processing instead of exporting raw materials in their unprocessed form.
“The global market is thirsty for these products. Africa must process its raw materials and agricultural products to create jobs and generate more income,” President El-Sisi said.
He identified sectors such as iron ore, copper, leather, meat processing and fruit processing as industries with enormous potential to boost exports and industrial growth across the continent.
The Egyptian leader also called for stronger private sector collaboration between Uganda and Egypt and announced plans to establish a Joint Business Council aimed at facilitating trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
As part of efforts to strengthen economic ties, President El-Sisi invited President Museveni to attend the African Business Forum scheduled to take place in Egypt in June 2026.
The two leaders further directed their institutions to operationalise outcomes from President Museveni’s August 2025 visit to Egypt, particularly in agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, water management and infrastructure development.
In a joint communiqué issued after the meeting, Egypt reaffirmed its readiness to finance and mobilise funding for water-related infrastructure projects in Uganda through the Nile Development Fund.
The talks also touched on regional peace and security issues affecting Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider Horn of Africa region.
The two Heads of State reaffirmed support for dialogue, African-led peace initiatives and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity in resolving regional conflicts.
President Museveni expressed concern over continuing instability in Libya, the conflict in Palestine and tensions involving Iran, saying African countries should continue advocating peaceful solutions to global and regional crises.
“We cannot remain silent when people continue to suffer through endless wars and instability,” President Museveni said.
Reflecting on Africa’s liberation history, the Ugandan leader praised the role played by former African leaders such as Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere through the Organisation of African Unity Liberation Committee in supporting independence struggles across the continent.
On Nile Basin cooperation, President El-Sisi acknowledged Egypt’s growing water scarcity challenges, noting that the country’s per capita water availability has dropped below 500 cubic metres annually.
Despite the pressures, he said Egypt remains committed to dialogue and cooperation with Nile Basin countries and called for sustainable and equitable utilisation of shared water resources.
President El-Sisi also congratulated President Museveni on his recent election victory, describing him as a balanced and visionary leader.
“The world today is often driven by interests rather than justice and values, but Your Excellency continues to demonstrate wisdom and balance in leadership,” President El-Sisi said.
The two countries also pledged to strengthen cooperation under regional and continental frameworks including the African Union, the African Continental Free Trade Area and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa in line with Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
