President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has held talks with his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, focusing on security in Somalia and trade cooperation, with Uganda preparing to supply the Horn of Africa nation with value-added coffee.
Museveni announced the meeting in a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, October 26, 2026, saying the two leaders discussed matters affecting their countries, particularly the security situation in Somalia.
“Today, I welcomed H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia. We discussed matters concerning our two countries, especially the security situation in Somalia,” Museveni said.
The Ugandan leader also revealed that Somalia would soon receive Ugandan value-added coffee, describing the development as a step in the right direction and thanking Mohamud for his support.
The planned coffee exports point to a potential expansion of Uganda’s regional trade, particularly in processed agricultural products that can generate more value than exports of unprocessed commodities.
Uganda is one of Africa’s leading coffee producers, and the government has been pushing for greater domestic processing to increase export earnings, create jobs and improve returns to farmers and businesses across the coffee value chain.
Value addition can include roasting, grinding, packaging and branding coffee for consumers, allowing producers and exporters to capture a greater share of the final product’s value.
However, Museveni’s announcement did not specify the expected volume of coffee to be exported to Somalia, the start date of shipments, the companies involved or the projected value of the trade.
The meeting also placed Somalia’s security situation at the centre of discussions between the two leaders. Uganda has played a significant role in international efforts to stabilise Somalia, including through its participation in African Union-led security operations against the militant group al-Shabaab.
Security cooperation between Kampala and Mogadishu remains important to regional stability, given the threat posed by armed groups operating in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.
Museveni did not provide further details of the security discussions or announce any new military commitments following the meeting.
The planned coffee exports and security talks underscore the two countries’ efforts to maintain cooperation across both economic and regional security priorities. Further details on the coffee arrangement are expected to clarify the scale of the proposed trade and its potential benefits for Ugandan exporters.
