Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, Uganda’s Ambassador to Khartoum, Republic of Sudan, has presented a copy of credentials to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan, Hon. Ambassador Ali Al Sadiq. This paves way for him to start working formally and interfacing with the Government the Republic of Sudan.
The ceremony, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters in the country’s Capital Khartoum, was attended by senior officials at the Embassy of Uganda in Sudan: Mr. Dickson Ogwang, the Minister Counsellor and Mr. David Wamono, the Accounting Officer.
The Sudanese Foreign Minister, Ambassador Ali Al Sadiq welcomed Ambassador Ssemuddu to the Republic of Sudan. He promised to give him all the support to facilitate his work during the tour of duty, and reiterated his government’s continued cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Uganda.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Ssemuddu conveyed greetings from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. Abubaker Jeje Odongo, and thanked the Government of Sudan for the support accorded to his predecessor, Ambassador James William Kinobe.
He expressed gratitude to the Government of Republic of Sudan for the excellent bilateral relationship between the two sister states, and its impact on Uganda’s regional organisations, including: the African Union, EAC, IGAD and ICGLR. He noted the Visit of H.E. Gen. Abdel Fattah al Burhan, the President of the Republic of Sudan, and the resolve made with his Ugandan counterpart, H.E. Yoweri Museveni to reactivate the Joint Ministerial Commission and Joint Political Consultative Committee meetings.
Ambassador Ssemuddu spoke about Uganda’s role in regional peace and security, pointing out the keen interest in the Tripatite Framework aimed at bringing lasting peace to Southern Sudan. He thanked the government of Sudan for the hundreds of scholarships they have offered to Ugandans over time, to study in Sudanese institutions of higher learning.
Ambassador Ssemuddu studied in Sudan for one year for his Ordinary Level education before moving to Saudi Arabia.
The development is an important ritual in the commencement of the Ambassador’s tour of duty, only a step away from presentation of credentials to the President of the Transitional Council and Head of State of the Republic of Sudan, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al Burhan.
Credentials, commonly known as diplomatic credentials, is a letter addressed from one head of state to another, asking him/ her to give credence (authority or acceptance) to the Ambassador’s claim of speaking for their country. The Credentials were written by the President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa to his Republic of Sudan counterpart.
Ambassador Ssemuddu arrived in Khartoum aboard Tarco Aviation on Tuesday June 10, 2022 and was received in a colourful ceremony at the Khartoum International Airport, by a jubilant assemblage of officers, including H.E. Ambassador Haji Silima Kombo, Ambassador of Tanzania to Sudan who representatived his East African Community colleagues.
Also present was H.E. Ambassador Issa Ahmed, Ambassador of Eritrea to Sudan, who represented countries to which Ambassador Ssemuddu is Accredited (Republic of Sudan, Eritrea and Chad).
On June 11, 2022, Ambassador Ssemuddu called on the Director for Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mohamed Elhassan Ibrahim, at his office in Khartoum. The two discussed matters related to the new top diplomat from Kampala with extensive experience in the Arab world.
Ambassador Ssemuddu’s posting to Khartoum is an iteration of an illustrious career that has seen the amiable diplomat serve as Uganda’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and non-resident Ambassador to Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and Yemen.
Under the same docket, he was Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the Organisation of Islamic Conference.
While on his earlier tour of duty, Ambassador Ssemuddu scored a number of firsts, including: signing the first bilateral labour agreement with Saudi Arabia, enabling a regulated externalisation of Uganda’s migrant workers.
This has enabled transparency and accountability in the labour externalisation relationship with the largest destination of Ugandan migrant workers. A similar agreement was negotiated and finalised with the State of Qatar.
On Ambassador Ssemuddu’s watch, President Yoweri Museveni made his first state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar. During the respective visits, Uganda signed a number of bilateral agreements and memoranda of cooperation, with her counterparts in a number of fields, including, among others: Aviation; Agriculture; double taxation; investment cooperation; defence cooperation; political consultations; and economic, trade and technical cooperation.
The Republic of Sudan, in its current form, would present a unique set of opportunities and challenges to Ambassador Ssemuddu, given its long running civil and economic instabilities.
The Republic of Sudan has been beset with political instability following the April 11, 2019 takeover of the transitional government, and replacement of former President, Gen. Omar Al-Bashir. The Sudanese Capital has since been the scene of intermittent demonstrations, and run-ins with the authorities. Lately, the clashes have weakened to scattered skirmishes.
“Together with our brothers and sisters in Sudan, we shall work toward ensuring stability and economic rejuvenation in this country. We shall at the same time, move on with bilateral issues of interest between our two sister countries. Where there is a will, there is a way and with God anything is possible,” said Ambassador Ssemuddu shortly after presenting a copy of his credentials.
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