Museveni and Ruto to Address Bilateral Trade in Upcoming IGAD Meeting

President Museveni is scheduled to engage in discussions with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, focusing on bilateral trade matters in an upcoming Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) meeting hosted by Uganda. The meeting is of particular significance as it coincides with strained relations between the two nations, leading to Uganda’s legal action against Kenya in the East African Court of Justice. The dispute arose after Kenya denied a license to a Uganda-owned oil marketer, impacting fuel imports bound for Kampala.

Uganda filed the case on December 28 last year, emphasizing the fragile diplomatic ties and trade partnership between the two East African nations. While Henry Oryem Okello, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, confirmed Ruto’s participation as the current chair of Igad, he did not disclose the specific date of Ruto’s arrival in Uganda.

Mr. Oryem highlighted that the primary focus of the Igad meeting is to address ongoing regional conflicts. Among these conflicts, the discussions aim to find resolutions to the tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia, with hopes for a diplomatic solution that benefits the region. Additionally, the meeting is expected to address the conflict in Sudan.

However, Mr. Oryem clarified that trade matters, specifically the Uganda-Kenya oil importation issue, would not be on the agenda. He emphasized that Igad is designed to address security conflicts rather than trade disputes, suggesting that the trade-related concerns between Uganda and Kenya will be addressed through bilateral discussions.

Igad, consisting of eight member states, includes Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti, and Eritrea. The meeting serves as a platform for regional leaders to collaborate on resolving security challenges within the region.