KAMPALA — Uganda and Ethiopia are exploring ways to strengthen city-to-city cooperation following a meeting between Ethiopian Ambassador to Uganda H.E. Etsegenet Bezabih Yimenu and Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hon. Hajjat Minsa Kabanda.
Ambassador Yimenu paid a courtesy visit to Minister Kabanda on Wednesday, where the two sides discussed a range of issues relating to bilateral cooperation, with particular emphasis on revitalising the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the cities of Addis Ababa and Kampala in 2014.
The renewed focus on the city-to-city agreement comes as Uganda and Ethiopia continue to deepen their broader bilateral relations. Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently lists Ethiopia among its key diplomatic partners and maintains an embassy in Addis Ababa.
The Kampala–Addis Ababa MoU provides a framework for cooperation between the two cities and offers opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and experience in areas related to urban development, municipal governance, infrastructure and service delivery.
Reviving the agreement could provide a platform for Kampala and Addis Ababa to share practical approaches to managing rapidly growing cities, while also strengthening institutional and people-to-people links between Uganda and Ethiopia.
The meeting also underscores the importance of city diplomacy in advancing broader bilateral relations, particularly as African capitals increasingly seek partnerships focused on urban development, investment, innovation and sustainable growth.
Ambassador Yimenu has been actively engaged with Ugandan institutions and stakeholders as part of efforts to strengthen Ethiopia–Uganda relations. Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently reported a meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Adonia Ayebare and Ambassador Yimenu.
The latest engagement with Minister Kabanda therefore adds a city-level dimension to the growing diplomatic relationship between Kampala and Addis Ababa.
