STATE HOUSE, ENTEBBE: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commended the active cooperation that exists between Uganda and South Africa and said that if African countries work together, they will develop the continent faster.
“Thank you so much for coming and for reviving this cooperation, we need this brotherhood. I tried to encourage active cooperation and that is why I sold a Uganda government bank called Uganda Commercial Bank to Stanbic. The reason was that I wanted a South African ANC linked company to run it,” President Museveni said.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was on Tuesday speaking during a meeting with the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Hon. Dr. Nalendi Pandor.
Minister Nalendi also delivered a special message to President Museveni from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. She was accompanied by the South African High Commissioner in Uganda H.E Lulu, Xingwana.
The President said companies such as MTN, Stanbic etc. should widen their scope and venture into investments in Agro-processing and mineral processing.
“Even MTN, when they came I told them that there are bigger sectors like Agro-processing and Mineral processing that they can go into. I’m very glad you have come to revive this. We are ready to work with our African brothers including South Africa, so that we widen our economies,” he said.
On the issue of security, President Museveni said that if Africa works together, there is no problem they can’t solve by themselves. “There is nothing we can’t do if we cooperate,” he said.
Giving an example of Libya, President Museveni said that if Africa had cooperated in unity, Ghadafi would not have been thrown out. “Up to now Libya is in chaos, it is disgusting!” he said.
Mr. Museveni appealed to the South African business community through the Minister to come and invest in Uganda.
He said Uganda is peaceful and has a very conducive environment to do profitable business.
Minister Nalendi Pandor thanked President Museveni for according her and her delegation the opportunity to discuss cooperation between Uganda and South Africa.
“Thank you for meeting us. We were impressed by your speech at the just concluded CHOGM in Kigali, Rwanda,” Hon. Nelendi said.
She revealed that Uganda and South Africa are initiating a programme to cooperate in different fields like legal assistance, Agriculture, Tourism among others.
“We are initiating a programme between Uganda and South Africa. We are looking at Visa waver to increase tourism and trade between our countries. We agreed with the Minister, that we need to do more, and in Uganda We have agreed to do more in agriculture especially in agro-processing,” She said.
Dr. Nalendi Pandor said that South Africa and Uganda can play an important role in uniting Africa.
“We believe in you Mr. President and President Ramaphosa to silence the guns and have peace in Africa,” Dr. Nalendi said.
The State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Okello Oryem revealed that Hon. Dr. Nalendi Pandor had earlier on unveiled the Nelson Mandela statue in Namboole.
“This morning she was at Nelson Mandela stadium, and unveiled the Mandela Statue and she was in Kaweweta for a tour,” Hon. Oryem said.
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