By Evans Najuna
KAMPALA – The Office of the President Diaspora Affairs has announced two major initiatives aimed at strengthening unity, inclusion and shared prosperity among Ugandans in the diaspora, forced migrants and citizens at home.
The initiatives include a High-Level Conference on Internal and External Diaspora Engagement and Diaspora Unity Marathon, which are scheduled to take place later this month.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Ambassador Abbey Walusimbi, together with officials from the Office of the President Diaspora Affairs and other stakeholders, during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.
The High-Level Diaspora Conference, under the theme “Bridging Worlds: Diaspora & Forced Migrants for Shared Prosperity,” will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the Office of the President, Twin Towers Conference Hall.
The conference is expected to bring together representatives of internal and external diaspora communities, forced migrants, senior government officials, private sector actors and development partners.
According to the organisers, the conference will provide a platform for focused and human-centred dialogue aimed at building practical partnerships between diaspora networks and forced migrant communities.
It will also seek to identify mechanisms for mutual support and generate recommendations to promote shared prosperity and national development.
The second initiative, the Diaspora Unity Marathon, will take place on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Old Kampala Senior Secondary School, starting at 6:30 a.m.
Organisers say the marathon is intended to promote unity, wellness, solidarity and a shared sense of national belonging among diaspora communities, forced migrants and Ugandans at home.
The marathon will also serve as a practical expression of the spirit of inclusion and solidarity underpinning the high-level conference.
The Office of the President Diaspora Affairs has acknowledged the contribution of organisations and companies supporting the two initiatives, including African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD), Children’s Rights and Violence Prevention Fund (CRVPF), Refugee Law Project, YARID, International University of East Africa (IUEA), Uzima Water and Mari POSA Development Organization.
The office also recognised diaspora and migrant community leaders for their continued engagement, insights and collaboration, saying their participation is critical in ensuring that the voices and concerns of forced migrants remain central to the initiatives.
The organisers have called upon government institutions, diaspora communities, forced migrant groups, the private sector, civil society organisations, the media and the general public to actively participate in and support both events.
The Office of the President Diaspora Affairs says the initiatives are intended to transform dialogue into practical action and create sustainable pathways towards shared prosperity and national development.
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