Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Secretary visits Vienna to strengthen Diplomatic Ties
New embassy to boost cooperation with Austria and UN agencies
August 05th, 2025
The Permanent Secretary of Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bagiire Vincent Waiswa, completed an official visit to Vienna from July 19 to 23, 2025. The visit aimed to assess progress toward opening a resident Embassy to Austria and a Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna, in line with Uganda’s Non-Aligned Movement chairmanship (2024–2027).
Mr. Bagiire met with key Austrian officials including Ambassador Hannah Liko from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Peter Webinger from the Ministry of Interior. Discussions focused on development cooperation, refugee assistance, regional peace, and proposals for professional labor migration.
In meetings with UN agencies, Mr. Bagiire thanked IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi for ongoing support in Uganda’s nuclear energy program, cancer treatment, and food safety initiatives. He also highlighted opportunities for collaboration through initiatives such as Atoms4Food and Rays for Hope.
The delegation also met with Mr. Yuko Yasunaga of UNIDO, discussing Uganda’s industrialization efforts, including value chain development in the coffee sector and agricultural mechanization. A new Programme for Country Partnership between Uganda and UNIDO is expected to launch in 2026.
The visit marks a step forward in Uganda’s diplomatic presence in Central Europe, previously covered by the Berlin Embassy, and reflects deepening ties with Austria and multilateral institutions based in Vienna.
