Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has met with ambassadors from Nordic countries to Uganda and discussed matters of mutual interest between the two parties.
The meeting took place on Tuesday even at State House Entebbe. In the meeting, Museveni emphasized the need to foster mutual relations through business rather than aid.
Below is the president’s full statement after the meeting.
Met Nordic ambassadors and heads of missions to Uganda, from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland, this afternoon at State House Entebbe.
We exchanged ideas on a number of issues of mutual interest like education, health, agriculture, energy, manufacturing and transport.
My view is that all this is better approached from the angle of business, rather than aid, to maximize the benefit for all parties involved.
Uganda can benefit from the technological advancements of our Nordic friends through partnerships in these sectors, while they tap into our rich natural and human resource.
As an example, a KCCA partnership with a company like Scania, could check the chaos in urban transport, reducing on congestion, while providing an affordable alternative.
Of course, if the buses are assembled or fabricated here, we would have the advantage of jobs and skills for our children.
In agriculture, my advice is that our partners concentrate on value addition as opposed to production, because our land ownership system my be difficult for outsiders to maneuver, or obtain land through government.
We also conferred on global and regional questions on security and the rule of law.
