DRC President Tshisekedi accepts Ugandan envoys letters of credence after 4-year wait

April 11, 2025 in Business, Foreign News by Editor

The uncertainty that has hovered over Uganda-DRC diplomatic relations ended April 10, after Farid Kaliisa, Uganda’s ambassador  designate to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), presented his letters of credence as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, to President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi.

Despite military collaboration that has seen the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), engage in joint operations against armed militias in the east of the country since 2021, the two neighbours have not had full diplomatic representation in each other’s capital.

During the function which took place at Statehouse in Kinshasa, Ambassador Kaliisa extended greetings of friendship and esteem from president Museveni to Tshisekedi. He also requested President Tshisekedi to consider appointing a substantive Ambassador of DRC to the Republic of Uganda.

For the past 10 years, Uganda has been represented in the DRC by a Charge D’Affaires. Despite Kaliisa’s appointment as Ambassador in 2021, he had not been received by President Tshisekedi.

Tshisekedi welcomed Ambassador Kaliisa describing his appointment as well as the message of goodwill from Museveni, as evidence of a commitment to strengthening the good and friendly bilateral relations between the two countries.

Amb. Kaliisa informed Tshisekedi that Uganda has already fulfilled her commitment to waive entry visas for all nationals of the DRC, and asked the DRC to reciprocate the same.

President Tshisekedi assured Ambassador Kaliisa of his support in discharge of his duties in DRC, and regretted the events of 20^th January 2025 when the Embassy of Uganda in DRC was ransacked protestors, pledging support for its restoration and security of the Ambassador as well as Uganda’s diplomatic staff in the DRC. He, urged Ambassador Kaliisa to work towards strengthening the good existing relations and collaboration in various areas of mutual interest for benefit and prosperity of the two peoples. Tshisekedi and his guest expressed satisfaction with the progress in trade and business among the people, especially those in the border areas, collaboration on joint infrastructure developments of Mbarara-Ishaka-Mpondwe-Beni-Kisangani roads, and the fight against terrorism and various negative forces operating in the Eastern DRC through operation Shujaa.

Ambassador Kaliisa pledged to ensure effective representation and strengthened fraternal relations between the two countries and the peoples. He also thanked Tshisekedi and for successfully hosting the 8^th session of Uganda-DRC Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) in Kinshasa in October 2023, which resulted in the adoption of decisions, such as; the removal of entry visa requirements between these two countries. The Ambassador also affirmed Uganda’s commitment to regional peace and stability, and to fast-track the mid-term review of the 8^th session of the Joint Permanent Commission, which should have taken place in mid-2024 in Kampala, and to the hosting of the 9^th Session of the Uganda-DRC JPC in Kampala in 2025 for which the preparations are in full gear.

The DRC is a major export market for Uganda with exports worth USD 540 million in 2024, against imports of USD 100 million from the DRC.