From May 20 to 22, 2025, nine European Union Ambassadors representing the EU Member States present in Uganda embarked on a mission to the north of the country, to Gulu. The mission aimed to follow developments and assess the opportunities and challenges in this beautiful part of Uganda, the heartbeat of Acholi land witness to more than 20 years of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict. 

The mission was held in the backdrop of the 25th anniversary marking the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) partnership, dating back to the first Africa-Europe Summit held in Cairo in 2000. 

EU Ambassador to Uganda Jan Sadek led the Delegation mission, including the Ambassadors of Austria (residence in Addis Ababa), Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Ireland. 

Our Ambassadors began their mission aboard Kiira Motor’s Ugandan built bus, Kayoola Coach, fully branded “TeamEurope on the Road”, before hopping onto eBee electric bicycles to cycle through the rich illuminating history of Gulu, and northern Uganda, in what was a key highlight of the mission. 

Kamira Asha (European Union Delegation to Uganda)

“I must say it’s a rare diplomatic mission that requires a helmet,” said Ambassador Sadek. “But what better way to experience the beauty of Gulu than by bike? We did not just visit the city—we rolled right through its history, its resilience and its future. That is a privilege we will not forget.” 

European Union Delegation to Uganda

The Ambassadors met and interacted with a diverse range of interlocutors from victims and survivors of the LRA insurgency, the region’s political, cultural, religious and administrative leadership, women and youth groups, young entrepreneurs, academics, civil society actors, national and local press, as well as security leadership. 

European Union Delegation to Uganda

They interacted over a diverse range of topics including transitional justice, youth unemployment, trade and investment, climate action, mineral resource governance, land rights, Uganda’s forthcoming general elections in 2026 and the sustainability of EU investments in the region among key topics. 

European Union Delegation to Uganda

Our Ambassadors enjoyed a vibrant discussion with academics at Gulu University on post-conflict policies and practices, where Ambassador Sadek and the Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Signe Winding Albjerg, jointly launched a Centre of Excellence in Transitional Justice and Refugee Studies at the University. 

European Union Delegation to Uganda

Here, the Ambassadors saw how transitional justices becomes real—through teaching, through research and through local engagement. They listened to strong testimonies from victims of the LRA insurgency and from civil society, with Ambassador Sadek noting: “One message was imprinted in my mind—let’s see the children born out of conflict not as a problem but as a gift. Possibly the only positive outcome of the war.” 

European Union Delegation to Uganda

This centre, housed within the university's Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies, aims to serve as a one-stop resource for research and documentation on transitional justice and refugee issues. The Centre is supported by Denmark through the Building Stronger Universities programme collaborating with Danish Universities.

“Because Gulu is not just a place—it is a story. A story written in strength and struggle. It has known war, displacement, and immense suffering. But it has also chosen peace, reconciliation, and renewal,” said Ambassador Sadek. “We remember, and we honour, the dark chapters of the past—and we stand in admiration of the courage with which the people of Acholi have emerged, with dignity, with hope, and with an eye firmly on the future.” 

The EU has stood with northern Uganda through a troubling past, by supporting the peace process, the reintegration of former combatants, the rebuilding of people’s livelihoods and the reconstruction of the region. 

European Union Delegation to Uganda

A visit to the Gulu Skate Park left excellent impressions of a bright future for the region as our Ambassadors saw joy, agility and a different kind of power—girls skating with confidence, boys cheering them on, and a community building something out of concrete and hope. “That is the heart of what we believe in: inclusive development,” said Ambassador Sadek. “Empowering young people with skills, jobs, and pride. Making sure that no one is left behind—whether in the most remote village or the most vulnerable community. And here in Gulu, we see what that future can look like.”

European Union Delegation to Uganda