President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Monday witnessed the signing of a Host Country Agreement between the Government of Uganda and the African Union (AU) for the establishment of the African Union Humanitarian Agency headquarters in Uganda.
The agreement was signed at State House, Entebbe, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s efforts to host the continental institution mandated to strengthen Africa’s response to humanitarian emergencies.
President Museveni welcomed the decision to establish the agency’s headquarters in Uganda, saying it would play a critical role in coordinating humanitarian assistance, including the distribution of food and other essential supplies to populations affected by disasters and other crises.
He said the agency would strengthen Africa’s capacity to address humanitarian challenges while improving coordination and delivery of assistance to vulnerable communities across the continent.
The Attorney General, Sam Mayanja, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Government, thanked President Museveni for spearheading Uganda’s successful bid to host the continental institution.
Mayanja said Uganda scored 85 per cent in the bidding process, describing the outcome as a demonstration of the confidence and recognition the country enjoys within the African Union.
He said the process of establishing the headquarters is expected to begin in December 2026 and take approximately three years before the agency becomes fully operational.
Mayanja explained that the Host Country Agreement provides the legal and institutional framework for establishing and operating the agency in Uganda. He pledged the Government’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the agreement.
The Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Sam Engola, described the signing as a significant milestone in strengthening humanitarian cooperation among African countries.
He commended the African Union for selecting Uganda to host the agency, saying the decision recognised the country’s longstanding contribution to humanitarian assistance, particularly its open-door refugee policy and continued support for displaced people from different parts of the world.
Engola said Uganda’s experience in refugee management and humanitarian response would provide a strong foundation for the agency’s operations.
The African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, thanked President Museveni and the Government and people of Uganda for accepting to host the agency.
She described the signing of the agreement as more than a formal diplomatic undertaking, saying it marked an important step towards translating Africa’s political commitment into an operational institution and strengthening the continent’s ownership of humanitarian responses.
Twum-Amoah said Uganda was a fitting home for the agency because of its longstanding solidarity with people affected by displacement and forced migration.
She particularly highlighted Kampala’s historical significance, noting that the city is associated with the 2009 Kampala Convention, Africa’s landmark legal instrument for the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons.
She said Kampala had the potential to emerge as a continental hub for humanitarian action, from which African solutions could be coordinated, institutional capacity strengthened and solidarity mobilised.
Twum-Amoah noted that expectations for the agency were high amid growing humanitarian challenges across Africa, including armed conflicts, forced displacement, climate-related disasters, food insecurity and disease outbreaks, which continue to put millions of people at risk.
