Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth Oboth, has pledged to deepen parliamentary diplomacy with Pakistan, describing the South Asian country as a strategic ally as Kampala seeks to turn longstanding relations into more practical economic and institutional partnerships.
Oboth made the commitment during a bilateral meeting with Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, on Monday, September 14, on the sidelines of the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Cape Town.
The conference, hosted by the Parliament of South Africa from September 13 to 19, has brought together parliamentary leaders and legislators from across the Commonwealth under the theme “Strengthening International Law and Parliamentary Democracy in a Changing World Order: Commonwealth Leadership.”
Uganda seeks to move beyond ceremonial diplomacy
According to Uganda’s Parliament, Oboth said Uganda is identifying a select group of countries with which it wants to establish stronger bilateral relationships, with Pakistan emerging as one of the countries Kampala considers strategically important.
He said the relationship should move beyond traditional diplomatic and ceremonial engagements towards cooperation capable of delivering measurable benefits to both countries.
The Speaker identified trade, economic diplomacy, parliamentary capacity building, research, climate change and education as areas where the two legislatures could work more closely.
The proposal comes as Uganda and Pakistan already have a formal diplomatic framework. In January 2025, the two governments held their inaugural Political Consultations in Kampala and signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a mechanism for regular consultations.
The consultations covered trade, investment, agriculture, training and education, healthcare, defence cooperation and tourism. The two governments also agreed to encourage business delegations and greater private-sector engagement.
Pakistan proposes Parliament-to-Parliament MoU
Sadiq welcomed Uganda’s commitment and proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two parliaments to give the relationship a formal institutional framework.
Such an agreement could provide a platform for regular exchanges between lawmakers, parliamentary committees and officials, as well as sharing legislative and governance experience.
Sadiq also invited Oboth to visit Pakistan.
The Pakistani Speaker highlighted his country’s growing focus on Africa and pointed to parliamentary initiatives around paperless operations and climate-conscious practices as potential areas for cooperation with Uganda.
The proposed parliamentary cooperation would therefore complement, rather than replace, the diplomatic mechanisms already established between the two governments.
A relationship with economic potential
Uganda and Pakistan have maintained friendly relations for decades, with diplomatic ties dating back to 1965. Pakistan reopened its High Commission in Kampala in April 2022, reflecting renewed attention to the relationship.
The economic relationship, however, remains relatively modest compared with the potential identified by both sides.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs puts bilateral trade between the two countries at US$42.4 million in 2022–23, while Uganda’s tax authority previously described the trade volume as an area with considerable room for expansion.
There is also an established Pakistani business community in Uganda. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry estimates that about 10,000 Pakistanis live in Uganda, while Uganda’s government has recently recognised the community’s contribution to trade, industry, healthcare and education.
The community has also been involved in efforts to strengthen commercial links. In 2024, Ugandan business representatives participated in Pakistan’s international food and agriculture exhibition, while the Federation of Uganda Employers and Employers’ Federation of Pakistan signed an agreement aimed at promoting cooperation and advocacy.
From diplomacy to trade and knowledge
The renewed parliamentary push comes at a time when both countries are looking for ways to translate political goodwill into stronger economic ties.
Uganda has significant interests in expanding markets for its agricultural products, attracting investment and developing technical and human-capital partnerships. Pakistan, meanwhile, views Africa as an increasingly important destination for trade, investment and diplomatic engagement.
In early September, Uganda’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Twaha Matata, held talks with business leaders in Rawalpindi on expanding bilateral trade, joint investment and private-sector partnerships. The discussions focused on identifying high-potential sectors and reducing barriers to commercial exchanges.
For Parliament, deeper engagement could provide another channel for advancing those interests—particularly through committee-to-committee exchanges, legislative research, education partnerships and parliamentary diplomacy.
Oboth’s meeting with Sadiq therefore signals an attempt to give Uganda-Pakistan relations a broader institutional base, with both sides now looking beyond diplomatic friendship towards trade, knowledge, technology, climate action and practical economic cooperation.
If implemented, the proposed Parliament-to-Parliament MoU could become an important next step in turning the countries’ longstanding political relationship into a more structured and results-oriented partnership.
