Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni is scheduled to pay a rare visit to Sudan's capital Khartoum today Tuesday.

The visit represents a significant shift in Uganda's relations with Sudan and South Sudan, according to Hassan Mekki, a professor of political science at the African International University and an Islamist thinker in Sudan.

The relations between Uganda and Sudan historically have been cold involving mutual accusations of supporting rebels.

In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Mekki said the visit may contribute toward stability in South Sudan if both Kampala and Khartoum develop common understandings.

While some political observers have said the visit will not bring any change to Sudan-Uganda relations because of conflicting interests between the two nations, Mekki predicted the visit could result into a historic compromise between Khartoum and Kampala.

He added the compromise will stop Sudan from supporting South Sudanese rebels and that Uganda will also get rid of Darfuri rebels in order to maintain President Salva Kiir’s government in South Sudan.

Mekki, an expert on Horn of Africa affairs, hinted that Museveni’s visit to Khartoum comes as a result of pressure from the United States.

However, Dr. Hajj Hamad, head of the Advisory Group for Human Resource Development in Sudan, sees that the US was not behind the scheduled visit by the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to Sudan.

“I don’t corroborate with that opinion because the US cannot make it if Uganda and Sudan do not value the importance of national and regional interests. So I think that these two factors are the main goal,” he said.

Hamad said the visit comes within the framework of the common interests of the two countries. He pointed out that leaders of the two countries knew that the strained relations that lasted for a long period of time was made by what he termed as “new colonialism,” referring to Uganda’s role in harbouring the Darfur rebels.

Hamad explained normalization of diplomatic relations between Kampala and Khartoum would contribute positively toward the stability in the Horn of Africa including South Sudan.

Sudan's ambassador to Uganda, Abdul-Baqi Kabir, said in a Saturday statement that President Museveni’s to Khartoum aims at coordinating efforts between the two countries towards regional and international issues.

Abdul-Baqi pointed out that they visit would address outstanding issues between Khartoum and Kampala in preparation for full normalization of relations as well as the current political situation in neighbouring South Sudan.

File photo: Yoweri Museveni