By Caroline Nakire
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged officers from the War College of Mali to champion Pan-Africanism, economic integration and strategic security as essential pillars for Africa’s prosperity, stability and sustainable development.
The President made the call on Thursday while delivering a Lecture of Opportunity at State House Entebbe to a delegation of 37 student officers from the War College of Mali, led by the Commandant, Brig. Gen. Moussa Yoro Kanté. The delegation is in Uganda on a study tour to deepen its understanding of the country’s approach to national security, defence transformation, governance and development.
Drawing on more than six decades of involvement in African affairs, President Museveni said the continent’s progress depends on fulfilling three historic missions: creating prosperity, ensuring strategic security and strengthening African unity through Pan-Africanism.
“I have been involved in African affairs for the last 65 years. I was a follower of Modibo Keita, Kwame Nkrumah and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, and I am a Pan-Africanist,” he said.
The President stressed that political independence alone is insufficient without economic transformation. He emphasised that lasting prosperity is achieved through the production of goods and services that meet market demand rather than dependence on external aid.
Using his experience as a cattle keeper, President Museveni explained that expanding markets is critical to wealth creation. He said patriotism strengthens domestic markets, while Pan-Africanism opens access to larger regional markets once local demand is exhausted.
“When Ugandans began producing more sugar, textiles, milk and maize, the local market was no longer enough. That is why Pan-Africanism is not just an ideology; it is an economic necessity,” he said.
He further encouraged African countries to transition from subsistence farming to commercial production, noting that household incomes generated through productive economic activities are essential for improving livelihoods and driving national development.
On security, President Museveni said economic progress must be protected by strong defence capabilities. He observed that modern warfare has expanded beyond land, air and sea to include space, making closer political, security and defence cooperation among African countries increasingly important.
He welcomed ongoing efforts by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to strengthen regional cooperation, saying greater collaboration would help safeguard sovereignty, combat emerging security threats and accelerate development across the continent.
The President also cautioned that Africa remains vulnerable to external competition because many post-independence aspirations for greater political unity were not fully realised. Addressing terrorism, he said defeating violent extremism requires countering destructive ideologies while building professional and capable armed forces to protect citizens and national interests.
Earlier, the Commander Joint Staff Training and Doctrine, Brig. Gen. Wycliffe Keita, said the delegation arrived in Uganda on 12 July for a study tour aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding of national security, defence transformation, civil-military relations, governance and national development.
He said the officers had visited the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) and other institutions to learn from Uganda’s experience in defence, industrialisation and national development.
Brig. Gen. Keita described the engagement with President Museveni as the highlight of the study visit, noting that it provided participants with valuable insights into his long-standing advocacy for Pan-Africanism, self-reliance and African-led solutions to the continent’s challenges.
Brig. Gen. Moussa Yoro Kanté conveyed greetings from Mali’s President, Gen. Assimi Goïta, and expressed appreciation for Uganda’s continued support in strengthening Mali’s defence sector through military training and bilateral cooperation.
He said the delegation comprises staff, defence officials and student officers from Mali, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Morocco, Senegal and Togo. During the interactive session, participants sought President Museveni’s views on regional security, terrorism, the renewed global competition for Africa’s natural resources and the applicability of Uganda’s National Enterprise Corporation model in other African countries.
The visit underscored the growing defence cooperation between Uganda and fellow African states, as well as the shared commitment to advancing regional security, economic transformation and the ideals of Pan-African unity.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni poses for a group photo with officers from the War College of Mali after delivering a Lecture of Opportunity at State House Entebbe on 16 July 2026.