President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has received credentials from four newly accredited Ambassadors and High Commissioners to Uganda.
The Ambassadors presented their letters of credence to His Excellency the President on Friday 2nd August, 2024 at State House, Entebbe.
The four Ambassadors include H.E. Amokrane Mourad, the Algerian Ambassador to Uganda; H.E. Joash Arthur Maangi, the Kenyan Ambassador to Uganda; H.E. Frederieke Quispel, the Ambassador of Netherlands to Uganda and H.E. Mahlaba Almon Mamba, the High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Eswatini to Uganda.
President Museveni welcomed the Ambassadors to Uganda and promised to work with them to strengthen cooperation between Uganda and their respective countries.
H.E Maangi extended greetings from the President of Kenya, H.E William Ruto to President Museveni, saying the two countries are long term partners in many aspects including trade.
Ambassador Maangi also informed President Museveni about some of the key issues he is to focus on during his tour of duty in Uganda. These include, solving the problem of fishing on Migingo Island where several Kenyans have found themselves on the wrong side of the law for using substandard fishing gears, dealing with the issue of nomadism among the West Pokot and Turkana in Uganda and solving the trade barriers along the border posts of Malaba and Busia for business to thrive between the two countries.
He also commended President Museveni for his passion about intra-African trade.
President Museveni re-emphasized the importance of integration of East Africa, saying it is the only solution to prosperity, especially through trade.
“I’m worried about the African race. Yesterday I was telling the President of Gabon that the past leaders here made ideological, strategic and philosophical mistakes which have killed many countries in Africa especially when it comes to knowing where prosperity comes from,” H.E Museveni said, adding that sustainable prosperity comes from wealth creation which is through producing a good or a service and selling it.
“My tribe are people of cows who sell milk as a commodity. They also have other commodities like beef and bananas, but they don’t buy from one another because they have the same products. The other Ugandans who are not in the milk industry are the ones who buy the milk, beef and bananas of my tribe. So, we are now challenging the people who are saying that identity is more important than interest,” Gen. Museveni expounded, adding that because tribe, religion or Uganda are not enough for the prosperity of Ugandans, they need to be Pan-Africanists and sell to the neighbouring countries.
About fishing, the President was happy that Kenya has taken interest in streamlining the economic activity, saying a common position should be agreed upon between partner states.
“I’m glad that you have brought this one up. We are going to have a common position,” H.E Museveni said.
Welcoming the Algerian Ambassador to Uganda, President Museveni was pleased to hear that Algeria is in advanced stages of importing Ugandan products especially milk, tea and coffee.
“I thank the government of Algeria for taking up these efforts. We have had a long relationship with Algeria as freedom fighters of Africa,” President Museveni said.
On his part, Ambassador Amokrane Mourad delivered greetings from H.E Abdelmadjid Tebboune the President of Algeria to President Museveni and expressed readiness to strengthen the relations between the two countries.
“The people of Algeria recognize you as one of the remaining distinguished Pan Africanists and a great friend of Algeria,” Ambassador Amokrane said.
About the Western Sahara conflict, President Museveni informed the Algerian Ambassador that Uganda’s position like the rest of other progressive countries will not change from what was agreed upon by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) meeting in 1963 when they met in Addis Ababa.
“They said our borders were made badly but let us recognize them the way they are to avoid further conflicts. If you want to integrate, you can integrate like for instance we in East Africa which is so easy. In 1964, Zanzibar and Tanganyika agreed to unite and form Tanzania and therefore its not right for Morocco to recognise the same,” H.E Museveni said, giving an example of parts of Uganda that were demarcated to belong to other parts like Eastern Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania but Uganda continues to respect that for harmony to prevail within the region.
The new Eswatini High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E Mahlaba Almon Mamba who sits in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia conveyed greetings from King Mswati III who is looking forward to his upcoming visit to Uganda.
“It’s always a pleasure coming here in Uganda, a home away from home. We have identified some projects that we can work on together and the king has instructed me to explore more ways of partnership with Uganda especially in manufacturing,” Ambassador Mamba said.
He also congratulated President Museveni and Uganda upon winning the bid to host the African Humanitarian Agency during the 45th Session of the African Union Executive Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs that sat in Accra, Ghana from 18th – 19th July 2024.
The African Humanitarian Agency is a Specialized Technical Agency of the African Union charged with the responsibility to coordinate and provide Humanitarian responses in coordination with affected Member States.
The evaluation exercise gave Uganda 85.66%, Equatorial Guinea 76.70%, Nigeria 74.50% and Kenya 76.13%.
According to President Museveni, Uganda was selected for its clear open refugee policy and being the largest refugee hosting country on the African Continent with established legal and institutional frameworks.
The function was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs including Ambassador Julius Kivuna, the head of Regional Peace and Security Department and Ms. Santa Mary Laker Kinyera – Head of the International Cooperation Department.
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