NATIONAL
The Uganda High Commission in New Delhi has announced that Her Excellency Prof. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda, Uganda’s High Commissioner to New Delhi, India, and accredited to Nepal, presented her Letter of Credence to the Rt. Honourable Mr. Ramchandra Paudel, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, on March 6, 2025, in Kathmandu.
Prof. Kikafunda, who also represents Uganda in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Singapore, and Bhutan, was appointed as Uganda’s Ambassador to Nepal in 2017 by His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. This marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between Uganda and Nepal, which were formally established in 2017.
During the ceremony, Rt. Hon. President Paudel warmly welcomed Prof. Kikafunda and emphasized the growing partnership between the two nations. He highlighted the shared characteristics of Uganda and Nepal as landlocked and least-developed countries, as well as their membership in global organizations such as the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Notably, Nepal is a founding member of NAM, while Uganda currently chairs the movement for the 2024–2027 term.
President Paudel extended an invitation to President Museveni to attend the upcoming Everest Dialogue, an international conference on climate change and the environment, scheduled to take place in Kathmandu from May 16 to 18, 2025. He also called for enhanced cooperation between the two countries to address economic challenges and promote prosperity through bilateral and multilateral initiatives.
The President praised the ongoing cultural and sports exchanges between Uganda and Nepal, citing the Nepal Women’s Cricket Team’s participation in the Women’s Day Cup 2025 in Kampala and Uganda’s recent match against Nepal in the Kho Kho Women’s World Cup semifinals in New Delhi earlier this year. He underscored the role of sports diplomacy in fostering people-to-people connections.
In her remarks, Prof. Kikafunda expressed gratitude for the warm reception and pledged to strengthen bilateral relations. She conveyed greetings and best wishes from President Museveni and acknowledged Nepal’s support for Uganda’s hosting of the 19th NAM Summit and Third South Summit in January 2024, as well as its endorsement of Uganda’s leadership of the Group of 77 plus China in 2024.
Prof. Kikafunda reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Nepal in areas such as trade, tourism, defense, and foreign policy coordination. She emphasized the nearly decade-long partnership between the two nations and the shared vision for mutual growth and development.
President Paudel concluded the meeting by reciprocating best wishes to President Museveni and the people of Uganda, expressing optimism for the continued strengthening of ties between the two countries.
