President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed a new leadership team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his newly announced cabinet for the 2026-2031 term, bringing together diplomacy, politics and government experience in a move that is expected to shape Uganda’s regional and international engagement in the new term.
Leading the docket will be Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, who has been named Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ayebare takes over from the United Nations diplomatic front where he has served as Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, representing Kampala on major international questions including peace and security, regional cooperation, climate policy and development.
A seasoned diplomat and former presidential adviser on international affairs, Ayebare’s appointment indicates a strong foreign policy and multilateral diplomacy focus for Uganda as the country continues to navigate evolving regional politics in the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes and beyond.
Joining him is Calvin Echodu, the Soroti City West Member of Parliament, who has been appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of International Affairs.
Echodu, a businessman-turned-politician and a rising voice in eastern Uganda politics, also serves as NRM Vice Chairperson for the Teso sub-region. His appointment elevates him into the national diplomatic space, where he is expected to support Uganda’s international relations, bilateral partnerships, trade diplomacy and engagement with foreign missions.
His rise has been widely welcomed in Teso, where supporters see the appointment as both political recognition and regional representation within the new Cabinet.
Also appointed is Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, who becomes Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs.
Kasolo moves to Foreign Affairs from the Ministry of Finance, where he has been serving as State Minister for Microfinance. He now shifts from financial inclusion and enterprise development into regional diplomacy, where he will oversee Uganda’s relations within East Africa and broader regional blocs.
His experience in government and grassroots mobilization is expected to play a role in strengthening Uganda’s regional diplomatic footprint, particularly within the East African Community and neighbouring states.
The three appointments place experienced hands and politically strategic figures at the centre of Uganda’s foreign policy machinery at a time when the country is deepening ties across Africa, the Gulf, Asia and global multilateral institutions.
For Uganda’s diplomatic community, the Ayebare–Echodu–Kasolo team now takes charge at a critical time as Kampala seeks to strengthen international partnerships, expand economic diplomacy, and advance Uganda’s voice on regional peace, trade and global cooperation.
