Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has arrived in Kampala, Uganda, to attend the inauguration ceremony of Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Tuesday at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
The Somali President’s visit is part of a series of African leaders in Kampala, including Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who have already arrived in the city.
Other regional leaders are also attending the ceremony, including Rwandan Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente, representing President Paul Kagame.
The Ugandan government said the leaders’ participation reflects the strengthening of diplomatic relations and regional cooperation, particularly in the areas of security, trade and stability in the Horn and East Africa.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s visit comes at a time when Somalia is working closely with Uganda, particularly in the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia where Ugandan troops have played a major role in the fight against Al-Shabaab for nearly two decades.
The inauguration ceremony is expected to be one of the largest diplomatic gatherings in the region this year, with heightened security in Kampala, particularly at Entebbe Airport, Kololo and the hotels where the guests will be received.
