Africa-Press – Uganda. Leading scholars and policymakers have condemned the increasing reliance of African countries on former colonial powers for conflict resolution, warning that the trend threatens the continent’s sovereignty and self-determination.
The concerns were voiced during a high-level dialogue at the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), where a Professorial Chair in Diplomacy and International Relations was inaugurated.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, criticised the growing tendency among African leaders and non-state actors to seek external interventions from countries such as France and Qatar.
“It is a dangerous and disappointing habit,” Oryem said.
“These countries have their own hidden interests. By running to them, we jeopardise our chances of finding authentic African solutions to African problems.”
He argued that overdependence on foreign diplomacy has stifled the continent’s capacity to build robust peace mechanisms.
“We need to stop placing our fate in the hands of those who once colonised us,” he said.
“Africa must reclaim its voice in the international arena.” Prominent academic Prof. Mwambutsya Ndebesa echoed Oryem’s sentiment. “Seeking help from former colonial masters is like asking the arsonist to put out the fire,” he said.
“The continent must cultivate the intellectual and diplomatic muscle to solve its own issues.”
Prof. Sylvester Kugonza, Dean of Students at UMI, highlighted ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Somalia as examples of where foreign-brokered efforts have fallen short.
“What we need is homegrown diplomacy, rooted in our history and realities,” he said, noting that reliance on outside actors often distorts local solutions and prolongs conflict.
Kugonza urged students of international relations to invest in the deep study of Africa’s positioning in global geopolitics.
“Knowledge is power in diplomacy,” he said.
“Only well-prepared Africans can sit confidently at the global negotiation table.”
The launch of the Professorial Chair in Diplomacy and International Relations is part of UMI’s wider efforts to boost Africa-led peacebuilding research and dialogue.
Organisers said the chair will support the training of future African diplomats capable of defending the continent’s interests on the global stage.
The forum ended with a collective call to African leaders and institutions to prioritise continental collaboration over dependency.
“We must stop exporting our problems,” Prof Ndebesa concluded.
“Solutions are here. What we need is the courage and conviction to pursue them.”
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