Freedom 250 celebrates what we’ve accomplished together so far

 

Ambassador Popp
(US Embassy Uganda Photo)

By William W. Popp

Good evening and welcome.

It’s wonderful to see so many friends and partners tonight—alumni of U.S. exchange programs, business and government leaders, university partners, health professionals, and members of the press. Thank you for joining us for what is both a celebration and a new beginning.

As many of you know, my time as U.S. Ambassador is drawing to a close. After nearly three years in this beautiful country, I’ll soon be saying goodbye. But before I do, I wanted to gather you here—the people who have made this partnership real—to launch something that will continue after I depart.

Tonight, we officially launch Freedom250: The American Edge—a campaign celebrating 250 years of American independence and the enduring partnership between the United States and Uganda.  Freedom 250 is an opportunity to reaffirm that American values continue to guide how we engage with partners like Uganda. 

Over the past three years, I’ve traveled across Uganda—from Gulu to Mbarara, from Mbale to Kasese, from bustling Kampala to remote villages. Everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve seen The American Edge in action, the American advantage that impacts so many Ugandans.

I’ve seen it in laboratories at Makerere and Mbarara Universities, where Ugandan researchers use American technology to unlock the genetic codes of diseases.

I’ve seen it in the offices of entrepreneurs who studied in America and returned home to build businesses that create jobs and drive innovation.

I’ve seen it in health clinics equipped with American diagnostic tools that detect tuberculosis and HIV faster and more accurately than ever before.

I’ve seen it in the eyes of young Ugandans who dream of studying in the United States—and in the confidence of alumni who’ve already made that journey and brought their skills back home to change their communities.

The American Edge is something thousands of Ugandans have chosen—because it works. Because it delivers results. Because it creates opportunity.

So what exactly is The American Edge?

It’s the competitive advantage that comes from 250 years of American innovation, entrepreneurship, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.  

It’s the spirit of America’s Founders—Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams—who believed that with curiosity, hard work, and the willingness to take risks, free people can solve any problem and build a better future.

That American spirit didn’t stop in 1776. It carried forward through generations.

The Wright brothers, two American bicycle mechanics, believed humans could fly. On a cold December morning in 1903, they proved it.

In the 1950s and 60s Dorothy Vaughan pioneered revolutionary mathematics and programming at NASA, making spaceflight possible. 

And in 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, carrying the dreams of millions who dared to imagine the impossible.

In the 1990’s and 2000’s American engineers like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs led the computing and internet revolutions.

Today, we are living in the midst of the greatest technological advances in human history, and American companies are leading the world in artificial intelligence, space exploration, biotechnology, and renewable energy.

But here’s a key point: The American Edge isn’t just for Americans.

When Ugandans partner with American businesses, study at U.S. universities, or collaborate with U.S. researchers, they gain world-class technology, transparent business practices, cutting-edge research, transformative education, and networks to compete globally.  That is what we are celebrating with Freedom250.

In 1946, the world witnessed the transformative power of international exchange when the United States established the Fulbright Scholars Act, championed by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright. A few years later in 1952, Ugandan Professor William Senteza Kajubi became the first African scholar to receive a Fulbright scholarship; he didn’t just cross an ocean—he bridged worlds, and his visionary leadership showed us that education reform can change the trajectory of a nation. 

Let me recognize the people here who embody The American Edge most powerfully—our 6,000+ U.S. exchange alumni and Ugandan government and business leaders that have studied in the United States.  Where are our alumni tonight? Please raise your hands! If you haven’t yet met these individuals, I encourage you to talk to them about their experiences in the United States.  

In particular, I want to highlight the U.S. Exchange Alumni Network. I am so proud to have watched you come together under this umbrella network over the past few years and to see the support you provide each other.

Every one of you are part of American excellence in action—and you brought it back to Uganda.

The American Edge is also alive and well in Uganda’s business community.

I want to recognize the American Chamber of Commerce Uganda members present. Please raise your hands! The work you do supporting U.S. companies in Uganda gives them—and their Ugandan partners—The American Edge.

Companies like ATC bring American excellence in communications infrastructure, with over 90 percent market share they are expanding digital access across the country and employing Ugandans at every level.

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo demonstrate how American business models—like franchising—allows businesses to flourish while creating local jobs and opportunities.

Citibank brings world-class financial expertise, helping structure investments and supporting Uganda’s economic growth.

Asili Farms uses American agricultural technology to empower over 15,000 smallholder farmers, increasing productivity and expanding exports.

These companies don’t just do business in Uganda. They invest in Uganda. They create jobs. They transfer knowledge, and they are not alone.  Through our commercial diplomacy efforts our team is working to support U.S. businesses already working in Uganda and to increase that number. Nowhere has American excellence been more present and successful in Uganda than in health care.

When Ebola struck in 2025, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Uganda. American public health experts worked alongside Ugandan epidemiologists. U.S. diagnostic technology helped identify cases quickly. American research partnerships accelerated vaccine development. Together, we contained the outbreak in less than 90 days and prevented a regional and global pandemic.

That response saved lives in Uganda. It also protected Americans back home and people around the world. That’s what true partnership looks like.

From laboratories to vaccines to breakthrough drugs—American technology and researchers, partnered with Ugandan colleagues and ingenuity, have saved countless lives and stopped the spread of disease.

The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI)—an institution that began with American support from the Rockefeller Foundation in 1936 and today stands as a regional leader in disease research.

Labs in Uganda equipped with advanced diagnostic systems from U.S. companies like Abbott, are detecting outbreaks faster and more accurately than ever before.

Scientists at Makerere University who use American computing power and research partnerships—like the Walter Reed Project and the African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics—are unlocking the genetic codes of diseases threatening Uganda, America, and the world.

Ugandan health workers are using innovative American solutions like MinXray portable machines provided by the U.S. government to detect tuberculosis in remote villages—before it spreads.

In December 2025, we signed a five-year $2.3 billion Health Memorandum of Understanding with Uganda— a co-investment reflecting Uganda’s growing capacity and our shared commitment to health security and outcomes.

This is The American Edge: a legacy of resilience and the pursuit of excellence—shared with Ugandans to build stronger, more self-sufficient health systems.

It is also powerfully present in education.

For decades, U.S. universities have partnered with Ugandan institutions to advance research, train the next generation of leaders, and solve real-world problems.

These aren’t one-way relationships. They’re collaborations where American resources and expertise combined with Ugandan knowledge, context, and innovation to produce research that’s more relevant, impactful, and enduring.

During my time, we’ve also invested in the future of our partnership in tangible ways. In January 2026, we opened the new American Center—a public state-of-the-art space showcasing the best of America to thousands of Ugandans every year. It’s a place for free learning, for exchange, for dialogue, and for building the connections that make our partnership strong. If you haven’t been yet to the American Center, please stop by anytime and check it out! 

We also launched the U.S. Studies Center at Makerere University—an academic hub for reflection on the impact the United States in Uganda and East Africa.  

Graduates of all these U.S. programs and partnerships—Ugandan scientists, doctors, engineers, thinkers and innovators—are shaping the future of this region and the world.

And I can’t fail to mention sports. Do we have any soccer – or should I say, football – fans in the house?

As we head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup —which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico—we’re proud of America’s sporting excellence and the partnerships we’ve built with Ugandan sports leaders.

But our focus on sports doesn’t end with the World Cup. The United States is entering an unprecedented “mega-decade” of sports from 2024 -2034, hosting major global events including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics/Paralympics, 2031/2033 Rugby World Cups, and 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. 

Sports have a unique power to unite people across borders and cultures.  They teach us resilience, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence.  That is what we are celebrating with Freedom 250. As Uganda prepares to co-host AFCON 2027, we’re excited to support your efforts and celebrate the role of sports in building stronger communities and deeper friendships between our nations.

Finally, Freedom250 is not just about American history, but the principles that have made America stronger—freedom, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the belief that free people, working together, can accomplish extraordinary things.

Over the coming months, you’ll see Freedom 250: The American Edge come to life across Uganda.  We’ll share stories of alumni, businesses, and partnerships that demonstrate The American Edge in action.

We have the Founders Museum Exhibit, which has been on tour in Kampala, here tonight invites Ugandans to engage with America’s founding story and the universal principles of freedom and innovation.

On July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

We’ll use social media—#TheAmericanEdge and #Freedom250—to amplify these stories and invite those in the room – and all Ugandans who are proud celebrate their U.S. connection to join the conversation.

For 250 years, Americans have believed that with curiosity, hard work, and the courage to take risks, we can solve any problem and build a better future for all.

That belief has driven American innovation from the light bulb to the moon landing to artificial intelligence.

But that belief isn’t uniquely American. It’s universal. Freedom 250 celebrates what we’ve accomplished together so far —and what we’ll accomplish together over the next 250 years. 

As I prepare to leave Uganda, I want to say thank you.

Thank you to the alumni who have been models of the impact of American exchange programs.

Thank you to the business leaders who are building prosperity for our countries.

Thank you to the university partners who are training the next generation.

Thank you to the health professionals who are saving lives every day.

Thank you to the artists, athletes, and innovators who inspire us all.

Thank you to Deputy Chief of Mission Mikael Cleverley, who will take over as chargé d’affairs once I depart Uganda.  This Embassy and the U.S.-Uganda relationship will be in good hands.

I also want to thank the members of the media here tonight—and journalists across Uganda who have covered our work over these past three years. And to Creatabuzz, our partner in the Freedom250 campaign who put on this even tonight.

But most of all, thank you to the people of Uganda for your warmth, your resilience, and your partnership.  Thank you for embodying The American Edge. 

While my time in this role may be concluding, the work we have undertaken together is far from finished. The relationships forged here are lasting, and this embassy will remain a steadfast partner. Progress does not depend on one person—it depends on all of us. Keep it moving forward.  

Here’s to the next 250 years of friendship, partnership, and shared prosperity.

Thank you and God bless.

The author is the United States Ambassador to Uganda

These were his remarks at the American Edge Campaign Launch in Kampala on 7^th May 2026.