Uganda Joins Khartoum Process Steering Committee During Cairo Meeting

Uganda has been endorsed to the Khartoum Process Steering Committee, an announcement made during the Senior Officials’ Meeting taking place in Cairo, Egypt from April 17 -18.

The Khartoum Process was established in November 2014 to serve as a platform for political cooperation amongst the countries along the EU-Horn of Africa Migration Route. It is an inter-regional cooperation that facilitates collaboration and information exchange with a focus on migration. The Uganda delegation to the meeting was composed of senior officials from the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs.

Membership of the KP includes Germany (outgoing Chair), Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt (incoming chair), Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, South Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda.

The Steering Committee of the Khartoum process membership comprises five EU Member States (Italy, France, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands) and five African Member States (Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somalia). Partners on the steering committee include European Union Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the African Union Commission.

During the 2023 Steering Committee meeting in 2023, a decision was arrived at to expand membership from 10 to 12 with 6 from each block, leading to Uganda’s endorsement.

The Objectives of the Khartoum Process (KP) include creating a common understanding of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, opportunities for balanced partnership and maintenance of a spirit of shared responsibility and enhanced cooperation.

Uganda brings forth its vast experience in migration management to add impetus to the Khartoum Process initiatives,” said Agnes Birungi, Consular Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a member of the delegation.