Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has arrived in South Sudan for a meeting with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Museveni’s visit comes in response to an invitation from President Kiir.
“I have arrived in South Sudan at the invitation of His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit. I look forward to our discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation between our two nations,” Museveni stated.
The visit follows the deployment of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in South Sudan and the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar. According to DW News, Machar—who has long been a political rival to President Kiir—was arrested at his residence in an operation involving “20 heavily armed vehicles,” according to a statement from Machar’s SPLM-IO party.
Daily Star learned that Kiir requested the deployment of UPDF soldiers in response to rising security threats. The deployment came after violent clashes in the northern town of Nasir, where dozens of South Sudanese soldiers, including a general, were killed. The conflict involved the South Sudanese army and the White Army militia, which President Kiir has linked to First Vice President Machar.
On January 10, 2014, Uganda and South Sudan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation and the Status of Forces Agreement, establishing a framework for UPDF deployment in South Sudan.
Uganda’s Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Oboth Marksons Jacobs, explained that Uganda agreed to deploy its forces if security developments in South Sudan posed a serious threat to Uganda’s stability, with potential regional and continental implications.
“On March 10, 2025, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding, President Salva Kiir formally requested President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda to provide urgent military support to prevent a potential security catastrophe in South Sudan,” Oboth stated.
Following this request, President Museveni authorized the deployment of UPDF troops to help stabilize security, enforce peace, protect lives, and prevent further escalation of conflict.
The Ugandan government emphasized that past deployments of UPDF forces in South Sudan have contributed to security stabilization and will continue to do so. The presence of Ugandan forces is seen as beneficial not only to South Sudan but also to Uganda, the region, and Africa as a whole.
“The Parliament of Uganda supports the deployment of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces in South Sudan under the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation and the Status of Forces Agreement between the two nations,” Oboth said.
