Today in History: Uganda Welcomes First-ever Visit by a Sitting Turkish President

The two-day state visit, which ran from May 31 to June 1, saw President Erdoğan hold talks with Ugandan President Museveni at State House Entebbe as both leaders sought to deepen cooperation in trade, security, education and infrastructure.

On this day in 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Uganda for the first official visit by a sitting Turkish president, marking a significant moment in relations between the two countries.

The two-day state visit, which ran from May 31 to June 1, saw President Erdoğan hold talks with Ugandan President Museveni at State House Entebbe as both leaders sought to deepen cooperation in trade, security, education and infrastructure.

Accompanied by more than 135 Turkish business leaders, Erdoğan's trip signalled Turkey's intention to expand its influence and commercial presence in East Africa.

A major highlight was the Turkey-Uganda Business Forum in Kampala, where Turkish and Ugandan investors explored opportunities in infrastructure, energy, manufacturing and mining.

Several agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed, including frameworks covering defence cooperation, hydrocarbons and minerals, tourism promotion, higher education partnerships and visa exemptions for diplomatic passport holders.

During the visit, Erdoğan also travelled to Makerere University, where he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in recognition of his role in international relations and development.

The effects of the visit would become increasingly visible over the following decade. Trade between Uganda and Turkey expanded significantly, while Turkish companies secured major projects across the country.

Among the most notable were the Standard Gauge Railway contract awarded to Yapı Merkezi, the construction of Hoima City Stadium by Summa Construction, and road infrastructure projects undertaken by Gülsan Construction and Polatyol. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines expanded its operations on the Entebbe-Istanbul route as business and trade links grew.

Yet the relationship that appeared so promising in 2016 would later face strains.

Disagreements over commercial projects, frustrations surrounding regional influence in the Horn of Africa, and diplomatic tensions linked to Uganda's demands for the extradition of dissident Fred Lumbuye gradually tested relations.

The most public rupture came in 2025 when Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, issued a series of controversial social media posts targeting Turkey, sparking a diplomatic backlash from Ankara.

Even so, May 31, 2016 remains a landmark date in Uganda's modern diplomatic history, remembered as the day Uganda and Turkey sought to transform a modest bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership whose effects are still visible across trade, infrastructure and regional diplomacy today.

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