Africa-Press – Uganda. Relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda received a new boost following the signing of six agreements and memoranda of understanding during President Felix Tshisekedi’s visit to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, aimed at enhancing political, security, and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Tshisekedi arrived in Uganda to participate in two significant events: the conclusion of the ninth session of the Joint Permanent Commission between the two countries, and his attendance at the inauguration ceremony of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni scheduled for today, Tuesday.
A meeting lasting about an hour took place at the presidential palace in Kampala between the two presidents, attended by 17 Congolese ministers, during which six memoranda of understanding were signed covering various topics. This step reflects the depth of the growing partnership between the two sides, which has transcended a purely protocol level to a strategic cooperation level.
The rapprochement between Kinshasa and Kampala is based on two main pillars. The first is security cooperation, as both armies continue to carry out the joint military operation “Brave” against the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan group linked to the Islamic State that operates in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The two presidents expressed their satisfaction with the results of the joint operation, agreeing to continue it in the upcoming phase.
The second pillar is economic and trade cooperation, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo becoming the primary destination for Ugandan exports within the African continent. The volume of trade between the two countries reached approximately $962 million during the period between 2024 and 2025, marking a 29% increase over two years.
The oil sector also emerged as a key topic during the discussions, especially with the presence of the shared Albert oil field on the border between the two countries.
Museveni revealed that Tshisekedi proposed the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s participation in the oil infrastructure projects being developed by Uganda, including pipelines and refineries, noting that he agreed to the proposal.
Despite periods of tension and uncertainty that have characterized relations between the two countries in the past, Uganda is the only one among the nine neighboring countries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with which Kinshasa has successfully built this level of cooperation since Tshisekedi came to power.
The participation of the Congolese president in Museveni’s inauguration is viewed as a clear message reflecting the strength of the relationship between the two countries and their commitment to maintaining their strategic partnership within the African continent.
