Uganda’s pool of scientists has received a timely jab in the arm and is set to expand.
This follows an offer for students hoping to pursue further studies by the International University of Africa based in Khartoum, Republic of Sudan.
The offer was made to Uganda’s Ambassador to the Republic of Sudan, Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, during a meeting with the Head of External Relations, Mr. Taj Adin Bashir Niyam at the University campus in Khartoum on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
“My actions and the team at the Embassy, are deliberate and result-oriented. My vision is to ensure that my diplomatic work is well-aligned with government policy in order to achieve outcomes that contribute towards overall delivery on milestones set by H.E. the President and the Manifesto,”said Ambassador Ssemuddu.
To this end, the Ambassador has set about ensuring that government expands
and deepens the pool of professionals, with special emphasis on scientists, in a bid to build a human resource base that should drive forward the development and transformation agenda of Uganda.
Ambassador Ssemuddu said: “I plan to visit universities and other institutions of higher learning in all countries I am accredited to, including Morocco. It is my view that these institutions have unique insights into the needs of developing countries like Uganda. We should not overlook them simply because they are
located in in the developing world.”
He says that government is taking critical steps in ensuring that scientific knowledge and information technology drive the next phase of economic development.
The Ambassador cites the need to align the country’s human resource capacity with the needs in the fourth industrial revolution driven by the information and communication technologies and renewable energy.
Jobs are essential for Uganda’s development because they determine the living standards of individuals and households, support economic transformation and promote social cohesion.
According to the Second Economic Update on Uganda prepared by the
World Bank in 2021, the country’s economy has grown significantly over the past decades, however, “a significant proportion of the country’s population
are not optimally from this growth.”
“…creating quality jobs is a major policy challenge for Uganda. With an unemployment rate of below 5%, it is apparent that Ugandans are working hard, but too many of them are involved in low productivity formal and informal sector activities. This hinders the structural transformation required to drive Uganda’s economic development. The government needs to implement proper policies and the creation of a greater number of productive employment opportunities to ensure an inclusive growth that will enable Uganda to fulfil its aspiration of becoming a stable, integrated middle income country,” according to the World Bank report.
Ambassador Ssemuddu’s efforts appear to be aligned to the World Bank recommendations and H.E. President Yoweri Museveni’s recent enthusiasm in
promoting industrial development across the country.
“Hand in hand with human resource development, we are going to put efforts
in attracting manufacturing businesses into Uganda. These would help employ our young people, enable technology transfer, as well as contribute to tax
revenue. We all win as we transform our country,” said Ambassador Ssemuddu.
According to the NRM Manifesto of 2021-2026, the party’s approach to
economic development and growth, is through five selected areas that would be given priority and focus. The first, is creation of wealth and jobs. It’s followed
by delivering education and health.
“We have to be coordinated, systematic and deliberate in what we do to help
government and H.E. to deliver on the promises he made to the people. But we also have a social contract with the people as civil servants to service the needs of our people,” Said Ssemuddu.
The Ambassador wants all Ugandan students studying in other countries to be organised and to remain in constant communication with the respective diplomatic missions in their locality. This in bid to establish the strength of Ugandans studying abroad, appreciate their needs, ensure students have a purpose, enhance patriotism, and to ensure unity in diversity.
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