Uganda has been drawn in group D against Burkina Faso, Botswana and Comoros.
A total of 52 teams will go into the draw for the qualifiers, and will be drawn into 13 groups from which only the top team will automatically progress to the finals of the tournament.
On top of the hosts and 13 group winners, the two best-placed runners-up will also make it into the final 16.
The first round of qualifying fixtures will take place between June 8-16.
Groups:
Group A: Tunisia, Togo, Liberia, Djibouti
Group B: Madagascar, DRC, Angola, CAR
Group C: Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Benin, South Sudan
Group D: Burkina Faso, Uganda, Botswana, Comoros
Group E: Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Guinea Bissau
Group F: Cape Verde, Morocco, Libya, Sao Tome
Group G: Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Chad
Group H: Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Mauritius
Group I: Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Gabon
Group J: Algeria, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Seychelles
Group K: Senegal, Niger, Nambia, Burundi
Group L: Guinea, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland
Group M: Cameroon, South Africa, Gambia, Mauritania
NB: The group winners and two best second placed teams join hosts Gabon for FINALS