Kampala, Uganda – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Adonia Ayebare, received Letters of Credence and Appointment from Mr. Wilber Ndagano Rutabingwa, Honorary Consul Designate of Antigua and Barbuda, during a meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters in Kampala. The engagement provided an opportunity to reaffirm Uganda’s commitment to strengthening relations with Antigua and Barbuda and to explore practical areas of cooperation that coul d deliver tangible benefits for citizens and businesses of both countries.
Mr. Rutabingwa congratulated Hon. Ayebare upon his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs and expressed his commitment to working closely with the Ministry in advancing relations between Uganda and Antigua and Barbuda. His appointment as Honorary Consul was expected to provide an additional channel for facilitating communication, promoting bilateral interests and strengthening people-to-people links between the two countries.
Hon. Ayebare underscored the important role played by Honorary Consuls in complementing formal diplomatic structures and advancing a country’s interests abroad. He encouraged Honorary Consuls to remain active in promoting Uganda’s economic, tourism, cultural and commercial interests while identifying opportunities to connect Uganda with international partners. The Minister emphasised that contemporary diplomacy increasingly required practical engagement capable of translating political goodwill into economic and social opportunities. In this regard, Honorary Consuls could contribute to opening networks for trade, investment, tourism, skills development and people-to-people cooperation.
The meeting also discussed preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to take place in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026. The upcoming summit was recognised as an important opportunity for Uganda to deepen engagement within the Commonwealth family, strengthen bilateral contacts and advance areas of shared interest with Antigua and Barbuda and other Commonwealth member states. Particular attention was also given to opportunities for Ugandan nurses and other medical professionals to access employment opportunities in Antigua and Barbuda. Labour mobility and skills partnerships presented an area of potential mutual benefit, particularly where professional expertise from Uganda could contribute to addressing human-resource requirements while creating legitimate international employment opportunities for Ugandan professionals.
The meeting further highlighted Antigua and Barbuda’s visa-free access for Ugandan nationals as an opportunity to strengthen people-to-people relations. Easier movement could support increased interaction between citizens, tourism exchanges, business networking, educational links and investment exploration. The visa-free arrangement could also provide a foundation for developing stronger commercial and tourism linkages, particularly through greater awareness of opportunities in both markets. The engagement reflected Uganda’s broader approach to diplomacy that placed economic and commercial interests, mobility, tourism, skills development and people-to-people relations alongside traditional diplomatic engagement.
As Uganda and Antigua and Barbuda prepared for CHOGM 2026, the discussions demonstrated the potential for the bilateral relationship to evolve from diplomatic goodwill into practical cooperation. Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Honorary Consul and other relevant stakeholders, both countries could continue identifying opportunities that strengthened their bilateral partnership and delivered meaningful outcomes for their respective citizens. The meeting therefore reaffirmed the value of sustained diplomatic engagement and the role of honorary consular representation in connecting Uganda to emerging opportunities across the Commonwealth and beyond.
Photo Credit: Uganda Media Centre
