RESEARCH PAPER · RESEARCH PAPER 07/2026
Assessing the Effectiveness of Parliamentary Diplomacy
A Case Study of Uganda
An examination of the institutional role and effectiveness of parliamentary diplomacy in Uganda, and of how Parliament’s international engagement can be measured by outcomes rather than activity.
- Lead author
- Ranny Ismail, ECPD
- Co-author
- Ahmed Hadji, Adj. Prof.
- Research area
- Foreign Policy, Parliamentary Diplomacy and International Cooperation
- Published
- 2026 · 18 pages
Overview
Parliamentary diplomacy has become an important dimension of contemporary international relations, providing legislatures with opportunities to complement executive diplomacy through political dialogue, inter-parliamentary cooperation and oversight of international commitments.
The paper analyses the constitutional framework governing Parliament’s involvement in international affairs, considers the significance of regional and international parliamentary platforms, and identifies factors that may influence the outcomes of parliamentary diplomatic engagements.
It adopts a qualitative case-study approach informed by documentary analysis, constitutional and legislative provisions, parliamentary materials and academic literature, drawing on liberal institutionalism, multi-level governance and foreign-policy analysis.
Six dimensions of effectiveness
- 01Diplomatic influence
- 02Alignment with national priorities
- 03Institutional coordination
- 04Legislative oversight
- 05Partnership development
- 06Implementation of commitments
Conclusion
Parliamentary diplomacy should be treated as a strategic institutional function rather than a collection of international visits and appearances. The paper recommends a parliamentary diplomacy strategy, structured coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, standardised delegation reporting and a performance-monitoring framework.