President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has publicly reaffirmed Uganda’s full backing for Ambassador Olara Otunnu’s bid to become the next United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, signaling a renewed diplomatic push to secure international support for the veteran diplomat.
During a meeting with ambassadors representing members of the UN Security Council at State House, Entebbe, Museveni described Otunnu as an experienced statesman whose decades of service within the UN make him well suited to lead the global body.
“He is really the type of person you will need in the UN system because he is very much aligned to it. I therefore hand over Olara Otunnu to you,” President Museveni said.
Museveni also praised Otunnu’s international experience, leadership credentials, and fluency in English and French, noting that since their days at Makerere University, where Otunnu served as Guild President, adding that his multilingual ability and broad diplomatic experience are significant assets for the role.
“He speaks English and French very well without a tribal accent, so I hand Ambassador Olara Otunnu to you so that he can brief you himself,” the President added.
Otunnu, a former UN Under-Secretary-General and Uganda’s former Permanent Representative to the UN, outlined his vision for a stronger, more effective United Nations focused on conflict prevention, peace-building, institutional reforms, sustainable development, and responsible governance of artificial intelligence.
Otunnu also thanked the President for the renewed endorsement, noting that several members of the Security Council had sought assurances regarding Uganda’s commitment to his candidature following previous unsuccessful attempts.
The President also announced that former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda will lead Uganda’s diplomatic campaign to rally support for Otunnu in key world capitals ahead of the UN Secretary-General selection process.
Dr. Rugunda described Ambassador Otunnu as a distinguished Ugandan statesman whose service at both the national and international levels has prepared him to lead the United Nations.
He noted that Ambassador Otunnu has remained an important national leader through his leadership of the Uganda People’s Congress and his participation in presidential elections.
The meeting was attended by ambassadors representing both permanent and non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, including Somalia, Denmark, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, the United States and other member states.
