Diaspora Awards | Ambassador James Mugume Retires After 43 years in Foreign Service

On December 30th 2016 Ugandan Diaspora Network will recognize a number of notable Ugandans whose contributions have made a difference both at home and abroad. One such individual will be Amb. Mugume whose tenure as PS – Foreign Affairs saw the creation of the Diaspora Services Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Amb. James Mugume” retired  end of November, 2016 as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs after  a 43 -yr successful career in Uganda’s Foreign Service.

Before his appointment as PS in 2007, Amb. Mugume served as Director for International Cooperation at MoFA Headquarters (2000-2006) and as Deputy High Commissioner and AG. High Commissioner in Pretoria., South Africa (1994-2000). He also served at the Uganda Mission to the UN in New York in New York (1986-90) and the Uganda High comission New Delhi (1974-80)

When HE President K Museveni mandated MOFA to handle Diaspora matters in 2007, Amb. Mugume was more than prepared for the job. He had been part of the Ugandan Diaspora in Boston in  mid-1980s . He was  also instrumental in mobilizing the Ugandan diaspora in South Africa when he opened the Uganda High Commission in Pretoria in 1994.

During his tenure as PS/FA, Amb. Mugume put Diaspora issues at the Centre of Uganda’s foreign policy. He establish a Diaspora  Service Department which  has worked with various stakeholders to develop a National Diaspora Policy, support Diaspora Associations  around the world, create investment Compendium and develop proposals for a Diaspora Investment Bond. Amb. Mugume has championed conclusion of bilateral labor exchange agreements , especially with countries in the Middle East  with strong monitoring Mechanisms to protect Ugandan workers abroad.

Amb. Mugume was personally involved in the launch of the Annual Diaspora Activities in Uganda including the ‘Home is Best’ and the Annual Diaspora Dinner both of which take place in December.

Amb. Mugume a graduate of Makerere University’s Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (1973) and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in Boston, USA (1986). He also took sabbatical studies  as Foreign Policy Fellow at University of Maryland at College Park, USA (1992)and Ecole Nationale d’Administratio in Paris (2003)

Amb. Mugume is married with two sons.”