The 2026 edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference has kicked off with calls for increased local engagement in global disputes that shape world politics.
Yusuf Kiranda, who represented the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Sarah Ssali, made these remarks while delivering the opening address at the two-day event that commenced today at Makerere University.
He noted that geopolitical issues directly affect daily livelihoods—impacting fuel prices, the availability of medicines, and broader economic conditions—and therefore emphasized that local communities cannot afford to ignore such debates.
“The timing of this conference is urgent. The upheavals in the Middle East, the ongoing global reconfigurations, and other developments each carry significant consequences for our economies and our daily lives. I must emphasize that the Kampala Geopolitics Conference holds great significance for us as scholars, staff, and students at Makerere,” he said.
“We therefore cannot afford to view global affairs as distant abstractions. What happens in Brussels, Washington, or Riyadh does not stay there anymore—it arrives at our doorsteps, and we must talk about it. It shapes our policies and determines the opportunities available for Ugandans today and for future generations,” he added.
He further noted that the conference reflects an enduring commitment to intellectual engagement on issues actively shaping the world. By bringing together scholars, policymakers, and young people, the conference creates a vital and dynamic space for dialogue on global developments and their direct implications for Africa, particularly Uganda.
Virginie Leroy, the French Ambassador to Uganda, said the embassy shares this ambition of fostering inclusive debate on issues shaping African societies.
For eight years, she noted, the conference has provided an interactive platform for dialogue on contemporary regional and global issues.
“We hope to see more people participate in these debates and learn from them. Since its launch, the Kampala Geopolitics Conference has succeeded in bringing African perspectives into global conversations,” she said.
She added, “We hope to see researchers, policymakers, civil society actors, UN representatives, and artists all come together to better understand Africa’s evolving geopolitical landscape and reflect on solutions to contemporary challenges.”
On her part, Anna Reismann, Country Director of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in Uganda and South Sudan, thanked Makerere University for providing a platform for critical debate.
She observed, “Looking at the agenda for these two days, one cannot fail to notice two key tendencies. On one hand, there is a growing recognition that an era is coming to an end, and that long-standing institutions and previously assumed realities are undergoing profound change. We are living in a time of transition.”
Held under the theme “The African Dimensions in International Debates,” the Kampala Geopolitics Conference—now in its ninth edition, having started eight years ago—is a two-day high-level academic event dedicated to discussing contemporary geopolitical issues and global trends.
Inspired by the flagship Geopolitics of Nantes Conference in France, the Kampala edition has grown into a leading public platform for dialogue and debate on regional and international affairs, bringing African perspectives into global geopolitical discussions.
The conference brings together scholars, policymakers, diplomats, researchers, students, and members of the public to engage in informed and participatory debates on pressing global issues. Experts from Uganda and across the African continent are joined by international scholars and practitioners to explore key developments shaping international relations, global governance, security, and cooperation.
Three major themes were discussed. The first, “New Faces of Development Assistance: Towards Solidarity-Based, Sustainable Investments Based on a Logic of Partnerships,” examined evolving models of development cooperation.
The second, “Bretton Woods Institutions: Reimagining the Global Financial Architecture for African Growth in a Fractured World,” focused on reforming international financial systems to better serve African economies.
The third, “Ethiopia’s Regional Ambitions and the Balance of Power in the Horn of Africa: Sea Access, Ports, Corridors, and State Sovereignty,” explored shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Horn of Africa.