President Museveni has officially presented former Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) leader and veteran diplomat Ambassador Olara Otunnu as Uganda’s candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.
Speaking during a high-level diplomatic meeting with representatives of the UN Security Council at State House, Entebbe, President Museveni reaffirmed the government’s full commitment to mobilizing international backing for Otunnu’s bid.
Introducing the former opposition figure to the envoys, Mr. Museveni described Ambassador Otunnu as a seasoned statesman whose deep experience within the UN system makes him uniquely qualified to lead the body amid escalating global challenges.
‘He is really the type of person you will need in the UN system because he is very much aligned to it. I therefore hand over Olara Otunnu to you,’ President Museveni said, adding that he has known Otunnu since their student days at Makerere University.
The President also highlighted Otunnu’s fluency in both English and French as a major diplomatic asset for the role.
Highlighting Uganda’s UN credentials
President Museveni used the engagement to highlight Uganda’s strong standing on the international stage, specifically pointing to its regional peacekeeping efforts and open-door refugee policy.
‘Uganda’s credentials in the UN are many, but the uncontested ones are two: our contribution to regional security-I don’t think anybody will say Uganda is not known for that-and our support for refugees. Our candidate comes from that background,’ the President noted.
Ambassador Otunnu expressed gratitude for the official endorsement, revealing that several Security Council members had previously sought assurances regarding Uganda’s commitment following past unsuccessful bids.
Otunnu’s vision for the United Nations
Ambassador Otunnu outlined a broad diplomatic strategy centered on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and structural reforms to enhance the UN’s transparency and efficiency.
Key priorities highlighted in his address include:
Global Security: Prioritizing conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and post-conflict recovery.
Development Financing: Mobilizing long-term funding for developing countries with sound economic plans.
Emerging Technologies: Spearheading global cooperation on governance and fair access to Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Institutional Reform: Championing merit-based recruitment and structural accountability across UN agencies.
Rugunda to lead diplomatic campaign
To solidify support across global capitals, President Museveni announced that former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda will lead a special diplomatic envoy to lobby foreign governments.
‘We are going to send our delegation led by Dr. Rugunda to your capitals,’ the President told the diplomats.
Dr. Rugunda described Otunnu’s candidacy as a long-awaited milestone, stating: ‘I think now is the time to actualise this long-postponed aspiration.’
The Entebbe meeting was attended by diplomats representing both permanent and non-permanent UN Security Council members, including representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Denmark, Pakistan, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.