The ninth edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference officially opened at Makerere University with positioning Africa’s perspective at the centre of key international policy conversations ahead of the upcoming G7 summit.
Held under the theme “The African Dimensions in International Debates,” the two-day forum brings together scholars, policymakers and analysts to interrogate Africa’s role in a rapidly shifting global order.
Organisers say the discussions are expected to feed into wider deliberations at both G7 and G20 levels. Leonard Zulu, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uganda, highlighted the mounting strain on development financing, revealing that UN agencies lost up to $165 million last year, affecting critical sectors including health, education, water, hygiene and nutrition.
The shortfall, he noted, has forced agencies to explore domestic financing alternatives. Zulu argued that declining traditional aid flows require a pivot towards non-traditional sources such as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, private savings and diaspora remittances.
He emphasised the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships, including South-South cooperation and private capital inflows, in sustaining progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prof Nathalie Ferrière noted that while Official Development Assistance (ODA) reached a record high in 2023, much of the increase was driven by support to Ukraine and refugee-related costs within donor countries. Excluding these factors, aid to Africa is in decline.
“The question is: where is the money going?” she asked, warning that shrinking aid flows could widen financing gaps across the continent.
Ferrière underscored the growing importance of private sector investment, describing it as central to job creation and innovation. France’s Ambassador to Uganda, Virginie Leroy, said the conference has, over the past eight years, evolved into a critical platform for open dialogue on regional and global issues.
She observed that Uganda is increasingly repositioning itself as an interconnected hub rather than a landlocked state.
“The debates you will have over the next two days are at the core of G7 and G20 priorities,” Leroy said.
She added that France will host the upcoming G7 Summit, which will focus on addressing global imbalances, curbing domination practices and strengthening multilateral governance through shared rules and partnerships.
Africa’s voice, she noted, will also feature prominently through Kenya’s co-hosting of the Africa Forward Summit with France in Nairobi in May 2026. Representing Makerere University’s leadership, secretary Yusuf Kiranda said global geopolitical shifts are no longer abstract concepts but realities shaping everyday life in Uganda.
He pointed to rising fuel prices, access to essential medicines and employment prospects as examples of how international dynamics directly affect citizens. Kiranda called for greater African agency in global affairs and proposed the establishment of a permanent conference secretariat to track resolutions and sustain engagement beyond the annual event.
Anna Reismann, Country Director of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in Uganda and South Sudan, said this year’s agenda reflects both the continent’s pressing challenges and emerging opportunities.
She emphasised that the conference seeks to amplify African voices in global decision-making spaces. Adding a cultural dimension to the proceedings, Loïc Boivin, Director of Alliance Française Kampala, announced that the conference will feature artistic performances, including showcases by Tracy Melon and other African artists, highlighting the cultural ties between Africa and France.
