Uganda suspends all military cooperation with Türkiye

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) announced on Saturday, September 19, the immediate suspension of all defense and military cooperation with Türkiye. The UPDF stated in Kampala that this measure would remain in effect until unresolved bilateral disputes, which were not detailed, are addressed.

Colonel Chris Magezi, the acting director of public information for the Defence Ministry, confirmed that the suspension encompasses all military cooperation between the two countries. No timeline for resuming cooperation was provided in the statement released on Saturday.

This decision follows a protest by supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda outside the Turkish embassy in Kampala. The demonstrators were calling for the return to Uganda of Fred Lumbuye, a critic of the government in Türkiye. However, the UPDF did not officially link this mobilization to its decision, citing only unresolved military cooperation issues.

Defense relations between Kampala and Ankara include military training, exchanges between armed forces, and cooperation in the defense industry. In November 2024, the UPDF indicated that Uganda was considering acquiring new Turkish equipment during a meeting between army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba and Turkish representatives.

Since 2016, the two countries have maintained a military cooperation memorandum that expanded upon an earlier partnership. According to information released by the UPDF, this framework covers training, visits, exercises, logistics, intelligence, peacekeeping, and cooperation in the defense industry.

The suspension announced on September 19 will remain in place until the disputes mentioned by the Ugandan military are resolved. The UPDF did not specify which programs, contracts, or ongoing activities would be directly affected by this interruption.