EU Special Representative to the Great Lakes Region Ambassador Johan Borgstam visits Uganda

EU Special Representative to the Great Lakes Region Ambassador Johan Borgstam visits Uganda

The recently appointed European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Great Lakes Region, H.E Ambassador Johan Borgstam, visited Uganda between 6 and 8 November, as part of a broader mission in the Great Lakes Region.

In this first visit to Uganda since his recent appointment, Ambassador Borgstam met with His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kaineruga along with senior officials of the Government of Uganda, and partners, including representatives of civil society. His visit underscores the European Union's commitment to contribute to peace, security and prosperity in the Great Lakes region and the implementation of the EU Great Lakes Strategy.

Speaking about his visit and the high level engagements, Ambassador Borgstam said: "My visit to Kampala as the EU's newly appointed Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region made it possible for me to engage directly with the Government of Uganda and Ugandan civil society. I had the privilege to meet with President Yoweri Museveni and leaders in the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the UPDF. These exchanges confirmed that the partnership between Uganda and the EU and its member states is stronger than ever."

EU Ambassador to Uganda, H.E Jan Sadek said: "Pleased to welcome the new EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, Ambassador Johan Borgstam to Kampala for meetings with the Government of Uganda. His visit underscores the European Union's commitment to peace, security and prosperity in the region."

Discussions between Ambassador Borgstam and the Government of Uganda officials took place in the framework of his mandate as the new EU Special Representative (EUSR) for the Great Lakes region, which include: to support regional mediation and facilitation efforts, such as the Luanda and Nairobi processes and to contribute to building a stronger, comprehensive and more strategic partnership with all the countries in the Great Lakes region, in particular Rwanda, DRC, Burundi and Uganda, to enhance prosperity and security.

Appointed as European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the period from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025, Ambassador Borgstam's mission is to support the implementation of the renewed EU Great Lakes Strategy, whose objectives include: to contribute to peace, stability and security in the Great Lakes region, by promoting de-escalation of tensions and supporting dialogue and long-term regional solutions to crisis and conflicts, in particular in Eastern DRC; and to contribute to the regional efforts to transform the root causes of insecurity and instability into shared opportunities, unlocking the region's full potential. The EU Strategy further aims at supporting stronger regional integration, as a stabilisation factor that can drive future prosperity for the region and the entire continent.