Minister Kutesa’s daughter appointed Israel envoy to Uganda

Ishta Asiimwe Kutesa, a daughter to Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Kutesa has been appointed as the Honorary Consul of Israel to Uganda.

Ishta, who was appointed by the Israel Foreign Affairs Minister, Gabi Ashkenazi early this week presented her credentials to the Ugandan State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem.

Speaking at the function, Oryem congratulated the new envoy upon her appointment and sked her to ensure both countries promote the good relations they have.

The appointment comes barely six months when Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu visited Uganda to further cement the relations between the two countries.

During Netanyahu’s one-day official visit in which he held a closed –door meeting with President Museveni, he asked Uganda to open an embassy in Israel.

“I have a simple suggestion that you will have time to consider. You open an embassy in Jerusalem and I will open one in Kampala. We hope to do it in the near future,” Netanyahu asked Museveni.

Speaking in response to the request by his visitor, Museveni said he is seriously considering working on the same and that with time, they would announce the outcome.

“If a friend says I want your embassy here, rather than there, I don’t see why we would refuse. We are really working on it. We are studying that,” Museveni said.

Opening up an embassy in Jerusalem, rather than the capital Tel Aviv is expected to brew controversy like it was when the US opened one in 2018 but also when a similar move by Paraguay saw the South American country rescind the decision since the city is claimed by both Israel and Palestine.

However, speaking about the controversy, Museveni said it is not a big deal.

“The good with all controversies is that there is a part of Jerusalem which under the partition plan was in Israel and was not part of the argument. At least that one is not part of the arguments,” Museveni said.

The latest development of appointing Minister Sam Kutesa’s daughter as Israel’s honorary consult to Uganda is seen by many as one intended to further cement the glowing relations between the two countries.

 

https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/02/04/museveni-accepts-to-open-ugandan-embassy-in-jerusalem-after-netanyahu-visit/