Uganda’s deputy speaker urges Africa to demand respect from EU

Ezulwini – Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has called on African parliamentarians to stand firm in their engagements with European Union counterparts, saying the continent must negotiate from a position of strength and mutual respect.

Tayebwa, who also serves as Member of Parliament for Ruhinda North County in Mitooma, made the remarks when he addressed colleagues from the Eastern Africa Regional Parliamentary Group of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States at ongoing meetings in Eswatini, ahead of the OACPS–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

Speaking in his capacity as OACPS president and co-president of the OACPS–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Tayebwa said he raised several issues that must be placed on the agenda and shared guidance on how to handle the negotiations.

Chief among his concerns was what he described as a lack of respect from EU counterparts toward African nations.

“Uganda recently held elections that were free, fair, and successful. However, the European Parliament summoned Uganda’s Ambassador over the election. This was not right, and we rejected it,” he said, adding that a similar situation occurred with Tanzania. He told delegates that their engagements with EU colleagues would seek firm guarantees that such incidents would not happen again.

Tayebwa also pointed to the European Parliament’s earlier attempt to halt the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline as an example of external interference that Africa successfully pushed back against.

“We opposed it strongly, and the resolution was later rescinded during an OACPS meeting in Maputo. This demonstrates the value of standing firm for Africa’s sovereignty,” he said.

He urged fellow parliamentarians to unite around clear and strategic priorities to strengthen their collective voice in global negotiations, telling them they must assert their oversight role to ensure agreements deliver tangible benefits to their citizens.

On trade, Tayebwa called on delegates to fully leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area while addressing non-tariff barriers that continue to limit access to key markets, and to push for improved access to EU markets.

He also called for transparency and accountability in climate financing commitments, and for partnerships grounded in mutual respect.

For those attending for the first time, he had a particular message: “I urged them to read all documents thoroughly and understand every detail, even down to a comma, so that we can negotiate from a position of strength.”