President Félix Tshisekedi is in Uganda today for two key engagements aimed at deepening ties between Kinshasa and Kampala. The Congolese leader is attending the closing of the 9th session of the permanent joint commission between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, before taking part on May 12 in the inauguration ceremony of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
The visit highlights the growing importance of relations between the two neighboring countries. Beyond military cooperation in eastern DR Congo, Uganda has also become the leading export destination for Congolese trade.
The rapprochement between Kinshasa and Kampala has been gradually built since November 2019 through a series of high-level exchanges. In May 2025, Vital Kamerhe visited Entebbe carrying what was described as a special message from President Tshisekedi to President Museveni.
One month later, the two countries’ armed forces signed a memorandum in Kinshasa to continue Operation Shujaa, the joint military offensive against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan-origin rebel group affiliated with the Islamic State and active in eastern DR Congo.
Today, both governments are seeking to expand cooperation even further. Uganda is now the top destination for Congolese-bound Ugandan exports, with trade increasing by 29% over the past two years and generating more than $962 million during the 2024–2025 period. Authorities from both countries are now aiming to surpass the symbolic $1 billion mark in bilateral trade.
To support that ambition, three major road projects are currently under construction, including the Mpondwe–Kasindi–Beni highway, jointly financed by the two states. Six new memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed today in sectors ranging from trade and transport to telecommunications and public administration.
Tensions Beneath the Alliance
Despite the strengthening partnership, tensions remain between the two sides. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of President Museveni and head of the Ugandan army, recently made controversial public remarks targeting the Wazalendo militias, local armed groups allied with Congolese forces. He also called for the removal of Ituri province’s military governor, General Johnny Luboya.
Those unilateral statements reportedly created friction with authorities in Kinshasa. Tshisekedi’s presence at Museveni’s inauguration nevertheless signals the strategic importance of the relationship for DR Congo. As the United States pushes diplomatic efforts to bring DR Congo and Rwanda closer around strategic mineral cooperation, Kinshasa appears determined not to sideline Uganda, a powerful regional actor and key military partner in eastern Congo.
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