Bridging Policy and Diplomacy: Uganda’s STIRD Landscape in Regional, Continental and Türkiye’s Strategic Context

This study examines Uganda’s Science, Technology, Innovation, Research and Development (STIRD) ecosystem within the intersecting policy contexts of national development strategies, East African regional frameworks, continental African Union (AU) agendas, and Türkiye’s emerging science diplomacy in Africa. The rationale stems from the growing need for policy coherence and strategic partnerships to effectively mobilise STI for sustainable development. The research aims to analyse Uganda’s STIRD policy architecture, assess its alignment with East African Countries (EAC) and AU strategies, and explore opportunities for trilateral cooperation with Türkiye. Employing a qualitative methodology, the study uses document analysis of over 30 key policy texts, including Uganda’s Vision 2040, the National STI Policy (2009), EAC’s Regional STI Policy (2022), STISA-2024, and Türkiye-Africa summit declarations. The findings reveal strong convergence in policy priorities—especially in agriculture, health, education, ICT, and industrial innovation—across Uganda, regional bodies, and Türkiye’s development engagements. However, gaps in implementation, coordination, and resource mobilisation persist. The study proposes strategic synthesis through trilateral STI initiatives, capacity-building partnerships, and institutional linkages to enhance coherence and impact. It concludes that science diplomacy, when strategically aligned, can bridge policy and development goals across multi-level governance.