We are not in Dubai to impress Ugandans- Government
Minister of Information, Communications Technology, and National Guidance, Chris Baryomunsi has said that government officials went to the Dubai Expo 2020 to lure investors, not to impress Ugandans online.
Social media has been awash with sentiments of disappointment since Sunday, with some Ugandans saying the country’s pavilion at the expo is ‘embarrassing.’
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Speaking to NBS TV, on Tuesday morning, Minister Baryomunsi said that Uganda is doing good at the expo despite the negative sentiments.
Baryomunsi said that major deals are being signed and they are looking at issues of trade and investment, not to impress Ugandans.
“We did not come here to impress Ugandans. We came here to attract significant investors and we’re doing well,” Baryomunsi said.
Baryomunsi said that government officials went to Dubai as many delegations, but noted that some people went with different intentions.
He pointed out a video of an MP who said that the Ugandan pavilion was empty, with no to attend to people who wanted to get information.
“Some MPs who put out videos on social media expected something like the Jinja Agricultural Show. Here, we are exhibiting using digital platforms,” Baryomunsi said.
Adding, “The MP who recorded that video came to the pavilion at night when people had gone go sleep and put out a video saying there’s no one at the pavilion.”
The information minister said that the government is looking forward to signing more investment deals this week and noted that their interests were being satisfied, one at a time.
“We are satisfied with what is happening unless people expected us to bring mountain gorillas and the national airline,” Baryomunsi added.
He said that they are going to make a case for Uganda and they expect the best results because “what they are marketing is real.”
The Dubai Expo 2020 attracted the participation of at least 190 countries, including Uganda and it is expected to run until March 2022.
