Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has asked MPs to turn foreign engagements into tangible benefits for Uganda, including scholarships, investment and legislative partnerships.
Oboth said parliamentary diplomacy should go beyond foreign visits and formal meetings. He wants MPs to return with lessons and opportunities that can benefit Parliament and the country.
He made the remarks on September 29, 2026, as Parliament resumed plenary after recess. Parliament’s account of the sitting says it is strengthening friendship groups with several countries, starting with Australia, India and the United Kingdom. Japan and Germany are also under consideration.
“We are not competing with Foreign Affairs, neither are we competing with the government. We are only complementing and supplementing,” Oboth said.
He said Parliament would continue working through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when establishing international relations because some countries require government clearance before such engagements.
Oboth also wants every MP to join at least one parliamentary friendship group. He said the arrangements could open opportunities in education, investment and exchanges between legislatures.
“We expect them to put up a list of registration that at least every member belongs to one parliamentary friendship group,” he said.
Parliament is also developing a framework, including a memorandum of understanding, to guide the friendship groups and measure what Uganda gains from them.
Oboth cited the Australia-Uganda parliamentary friendship group, whose members recently returned from an exchange visit. He said their report would identify areas in which the two Parliaments could cooperate.
“One of the reports should be coming this week, especially the Australia-Uganda group,” Oboth said.
During the recess, Oboth also met UK House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle as part of efforts to strengthen relations between the two legislatures.
He later attended the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, where he met Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. Parliament said their discussions covered trade, education, agricultural research, climate change and capacity building.
Oboth urged MPs involved in international parliamentary bodies and friendship groups to “go to learn, go to share, go to build relationships” and return with lessons that strengthen Parliament and benefit Uganda.
A database to track commitments made during foreign engagements was proposed. Oboth said the proposed system would improve coordination while keeping Parliament’s engagements aligned with government foreign policy.
