Museveni to Chair African Peer Review Forum from 2026 to 2028

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will assume the chairmanship of the African Peer Review (APR) Forum of Heads of State and Government in February 2026, positioning Uganda at the forefront of shaping continental governance and development priorities.

He will take over the leadership from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and will serve a two-year term, from February 2026 to February 2028.

The announcement was made on Friday during a briefing at State House Entebbe with a delegation from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat, led by Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, the Chief Executive Officer. Uganda’s APRM Focal Point, Hon. Amos Lugoloobi, Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, also attended the meeting.

The APR Forum, the highest decision-making body of the APRM, brings together African leaders to evaluate governance practices and promote political, economic, and corporate reforms across the continent.

Ambassador Quatre outlined the formal handover process, noting that at the opening ceremony in February 2026, President Tebboune will hand over the APRM and AU flags, as well as the gavel, to President Museveni. “You will then deliver your inaugural statement as Chairperson, guide the closed Summit session, and later present the Forum’s report to the AU Summit,” she said.

She added that Uganda’s leadership will extend across the APRM structures: “Your Excellency, the APRM Focal Point of Uganda will automatically assume the Chairmanship of the APRM Focal Points Committee, while the National Governing Council and Secretariat will also take on leadership roles at the continental level.”

In his remarks, President Museveni welcomed the appointment, describing the APRM as a valuable platform for African leaders to share ideas and correct historical mistakes.

“The APR was a good initiative because it gave us a chance to share ideas. The biggest mistake since independence was that people feared sharing ideas, thinking it would be seen as interference in internal affairs. As a result, we lost time until this opportunity came up,” he said.

Drawing from six decades of political and economic experience, the President likened Africa’s challenges to Europe’s intellectual struggles during the Renaissance, stressing the importance of refining concepts through dialogue. “That is why this APR platform is important; it gives us the opportunity to exchange and refine our thinking,” he noted.

Looking ahead to the February session, President Museveni identified market integration and industrialization as critical priorities.
“It will be good to audit in February, and I am sure market integration will be one of the key points for discussion. If businesspeople don’t have a guaranteed market, how do they expand? That is why Africa must work toward larger, organized markets,” he said.

On industrialization, the President cautioned against the continued export of raw materials.
“Selling raw materials is a disaster. For every raw material you sell unprocessed, you are donating money and jobs. If you want copper, process it to 99.9% purity. That way, we benefit through vertical and horizontal integration,” he said, adding that Africa’s competitiveness depends on reducing production costs in transport, electricity, and credit.

President Museveni expressed confidence in Uganda’s readiness to lead the Forum: “I am very happy and looking forward to this responsibility.”

Hon. Lugoloobi commended the timeliness of Uganda’s preparations, noting that they align with continental initiatives such as the rationalization of African credit rating agencies and the African Migration Governance Conference.

“These consultations come at the right time. We propose that during Uganda’s tenure, the Forum focuses on addressing the bottlenecks hindering social transformation, including weak infrastructure, governance gaps, and insecurity,” he said.

He further revealed that Kampala will automatically become the APRM Capital once President Museveni assumes the chairmanship. “With your leadership, we are certain the APRM will reach another level,” Hon. Lugoloobi said.