President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has on Friday met and held discussions with a Special Envoy from Algeria, H.E Ramtane Lamamra who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria.
The meeting that was also attended by the State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, Hon. John Mulimba, took place at the President’s country home in Rwakitura.
H.E Lamamra had brought a special message and fraternal warm greetings from the President of Algeria, H.E Abdelmadjid Tebboune to President Museveni.
President Museveni and his guest discussed bilateral cooperation between the two sister countries of Uganda and Algeria in the fields of Trade, Agriculture and Security, among others.
H.E Museveni lobbied the Algerians to come and invest in Uganda especially in Agricultural value additional.
The President said that Uganda produces a lot of agricultural products like maize and milk, and so Algeria should stop importing milk from Europe and buy it from Uganda.
“We have a lot of milk here. Please, come and buy our milk because I am told you import it from Europe. We don’t have any food problem in Uganda. The only problem we have now is fuel prices,” the President said.
On the issue of conflicts in some African countries, President Museveni said that the problem has been over dependence on the outside countries. The solution, therefore, he said, is working together as Africa.
“There has been a crisis in Africa and part of the problem was Africans thinking of depending on Europe. The solution is to work together,” he said.
The President gave an example of boarder conflicts, and said that if one country wants to revise colonial boarders, they should do it diplomatically.
“When we decided to form the regional blocs like COMESA here, the plan was to bring Africa to work together. The progressive States of Africa should not listen to divisions,” he said.
H.E Museveni commended Algeria for being on the right side of the liberation struggle and said they will continue being good allies.
H.E Lamamra said he had brought a special message and fraternal greetings from the Algerian President, H.E Abdelmadjid Tebboune to President Museveni.
He also extended an invitation from H.E Tebboune to President Museveni to attend the 60th Independence Anniversary of Algeria slated to take place on July 5, 2022.
“My President is inviting you to the celebration of our 60th Independence Anniversary. Ten African leaders have been invited and, Your Excellency, you are one of them,” he said.
He further said that Algeria is regaining its strength and economic independence.
He revealed that Algeria and Uganda need to do more when it comes to cooperation especially in the field of trade.
“We need to do more on bilateral cooperation and increase on trade”.
The Envoy said that a business council has been established to discuss what Uganda can sell to Algeria and what Algeria can sell to Uganda.
He said Algeria would continue to give scholarships for both civilians and military in Uganda to exchange experience.
The meeting was attended by, among others, the Ambassador of Algeria to Uganda H.E Oualid Cherif, and the Ambassador of Uganda to Algeria, H.E Alintuma Nsambu.
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