Finance Minister Matia Kasaija has unleashed anger on the organizers of the Inaugural Public Private Partnership Infrastructure Africa event that claim that it was planned by government in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
The ongoing event that started on Monday September 16, 2019 is running up to Wednesday 18th at Serena Hotel Kampala.
In a statement dated September 13, 2019, the Minister said that they are not part of the event and that they also received information that the mentioned UN agencies and other development partners that the conference was not their official event.
‘The organizers of this event should continue with their own arrangements without involving government of Uganda as both co-organiser and co-funder of the event,” said Kasaija.
Adding, “Government Departments and Agencies should not avail public resources or compelled to make financial contributions towards a private organized event.”
UNECE speaks out:
Beatrice Florah Ikilai, the Vice Chair of the Bureau of UNECE working Party on the Public Private Partnership has not clearly elaborated why they had to use the government name to convene the conference but said the event is meant for the good of Uganda, Africa and the world at large.
“I was nominated by the Government of Uganda to the UNECE Bureau of Public Private Partnerships where I was eventually appointed through a UNECE Working Party on Public Private Partnerships. I am also the Africa Co-President of the Africa Public Private Partnership Network . The key mandate under the assignment is to promote infrastructure delivery under the Public Private Partnership arrangement promoting people first principles in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Uganda and the entire Africa,” said Ikilai.
“It is against this background and mandate that this conference was convened. Its in this respect that an invitation was sent to the President of the Republic of Uganda through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda. The President graciously confirmed in writing that he would officiate at the event. We have further engaged all senior government ministers and officials including the UN agencies, members of the diplomatic corp, Development Financial Institutions and other stakeholders within Uganda, Africa and across the globe.”
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