Museveni meets China's Xi, talks Uganda Airlines and infrastructure

President Yoweri Museveni has met his counterpart President Xi Jinping of China at the sidelines of the BRICS summit currently going in South Africa during which the two leaders discussed a series of infrastructure development projects and new areas of cooperation including support to the Uganda Airline route opening in China.

This is the second time the two leaders are meeting in three years with a possible third meeting scheduled for this September during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit will take place in Beijing.

“In March 2015, we had very productive discussions regarding Uganda as an important partner in Africa. Am grateful that we are meeting again and our relationship is growing fast. You have supported us in a number of projects including Karuma and Isimba power stations that will see more power added on River Nile. The Standard Railway negotiations with CCECC are near conclusion and China needs to help us on this. A Chinese company Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group Limited, is also licensed to mine phosphates in Sukulu hills in Tororo District among other areas,” President Museveni said at the bilateral meeting in Sandton, South Africa.

President Museveni used the meeting to push for new requests including a line of credit to buy industrial machinery from China and the industrial Park where China agreed to assist with a power line in Kapeeka and support to Uganda through tourism since Uganda is reviving the Uganda Airlines that will also be flying to China.

President Xi Jinping said China would try to find well-positioned companies to support the SGR project and to encourage Chinese companies to operate in Uganda. He also said China will open up its markets to Uganda agricultural products. He said China will invite NRM officials to China to benchmark on the governance and poverty reduction processes there.

The summit, being held under the theme: “BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution” seeks to strengthen the relationship between BRICS member states and Africa. The BRICS leaders will today interact with African leaders during the BRICS Africa Outreach on how best they can bring about “inclusive growth” and "shared prosperity”.

The BRICS Summit is an international relations conference attended by the heads of state or heads of government of the five member states including H.E Michel Temer of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E Vladimir Putin of the Russia Federation, the Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Republic of India, H.E Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China and H.E Cryil Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa.