Africa must unite or fall behind, President Museveni warns military leaders

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has called for deeper political and economic integration across Africa, warning that the continent risks continued fragmentation and vulnerability if it fails to unite.
Speaking to senior military officers at the Senior Staff College in Kimaka, Jinja, under the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, Museveni framed African unity as both a security necessity and a pathway to long-term prosperity.
He argued that historical divisions—many rooted in colonial-era borders—have left African states too small and weak to compete globally in areas such as defence, trade, and technology. According to him, only political integration can give Africa the scale needed to safeguard its future.
Museveni also criticized what he described as missed opportunities by pre-colonial and colonial-era African leadership, saying internal divisions allowed external forces to dominate the continent. He urged current and future leaders to avoid repeating that pattern.
On development, he emphasized that Africa’s economic transformation depends on shifting people from subsistence agriculture into manufacturing, services, and technology-driven industries. He said reliance on land-based livelihoods alone cannot sustain rapidly growing populations.
He further dismissed tribal and religious divisions in politics, describing identity-based politics as a distraction from national and continental progress. Instead, he called for stronger emphasis on patriotism and pan-Africanism to expand markets and drive development.
The lecture also touched on global security dynamics, with Museveni arguing that Africa should prepare for future strategic competition in space, maritime domains, and advanced technology—areas he said require collective strength rather than fragmented national efforts.
The session brought together 52 officers from Uganda and several partner countries, including Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa, reflecting the regional scope of the training program.
Museveni concluded by reiterating that Africa’s survival and advancement depend on unity, integration, and a shift toward a modern, diversified economy capable of competing on the global stage.