Museveni: Give us trade opportunities, market access instead of aid
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday met and held discussions with a visiting 3-member delegation of the Japanese House of Councillors, led by Mr. Takashi Uto.
The delegation is in Uganda to assess the progress and impact of the Japanese funded development projects in the country such as the Queen’s Way Sub-Station in Kampala, Jinja Highway Bridge and various agricultural undertakings, among others.
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During the meeting that took place last evening at State House Entebbe, President Museveni warmly welcomed the delegation to Uganda and expressed gratitude to the Government of Japan for the support and cooperation with Uganda in a diversity of development areas in the country.
The President used the occasion to re-emphasize the need for better trade opportunities like market access, investment, and tourism as opposed to Aid if Africa is to benefit from the cooperation. “Aid is good but it is better with trade access,” he said.
The President extended an invitation to more Japanese companies, especially those with technological base as well as capital, to invest not only in Uganda but in other African countries saying that with the growing population on the continent, those companies will have ready markets for their products.
While hailing other countries, such as the United States of America and China, among others, for doing business with Africa, the President told the Japanese delegation that by investing in Uganda and Africa in general, the Japanese entrepreneurs will not only be empowering the economies and causing development on the African continent, but the Japanese products will also be able to have unfettered access to the markets on the continent.
Mr. Takashi Uto, leader of the delegation, thanked President Museveni for his time and expressed happiness with the progress of the Japanese supported projects in Uganda that they have so far visited. He said that Japan is looking forward to continued cooperation and working with Uganda in a diversity of areas of interest.
The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Vincent Sempijja and that of Works and Transport, Hon. Katumba Wamala, among other government officials, attended the meeting.
