Kampala, Uganda | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has addressed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, warning against the dangers of religious fundamentalism and foreign military intervention.
In a detailed statement issued in his capacity as the current Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Museveni emphasized Uganda’s long-standing stance of resistance to identity-based politics and foreign interference.
The President’s remarks come after a reported complaint by the Iranian Ambassador to Uganda over Uganda’s silence on the escalating tensions in the region.
Museveni admitted that Uganda had not yet externalized its long-held views on the situation but noted that the country maintains good relations with both Israel and Iran, as well as the United States and other global actors.
In his remarks, Museveni said that religious fundamentalists of all types whether Islamic or Christian pose a serious danger to humanity.
He referenced a past interaction with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during which he inquired about the ancient Medians.
According to Museveni, neither Ahmadinejad nor those around him had any knowledge of the Medians until they consulted an elderly university scholar.
He recalled that while Christian fundamentalists were responsible for atrocities such as the Inquisition, Islamic fundamentalists had equally destructive outcomes, including the devastation of Sudan.
President Museveni went on to highlight what he termed as “Mistake Number Four”: the belief that external military force can resolve domestic conflicts.
He stressed that foreign intervention is not a solution and often backfires, provoking strong reactions even against the interveners themselves.
To illustrate, he pointed to multiple historical examples: the Papacy’s failed efforts to maintain Catholic dominance in Europe, Austrian statesman Metternich’s attempts to suppress the ideas of the French Revolution, and the coalition of 14 powers that intervened in the Soviet Union to crush the Communist movement.
He noted that all these interventions ultimately failed and, in some cases, the intervening powers disappeared altogether—citing the Austro-Hungarian Empire as a case in point.
Museveni reiterated that Uganda’s foreign policy rejects chauvinism based on race, tribe, religion, or gender, and instead supports interest-based politics grounded in legitimacy and equity.
He emphasized that Uganda stands for the “politics of interests” those that serve the genuine concerns of stakeholders rather than narrow identities.
Museveni’s remarks are expected to shape Uganda’s official diplomatic posture on Middle Eastern affairs.
His statement underlines NAM’s core principle: that neutral, interest-driven diplomacy, rather than force, should guide global conflict resolution.
