Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bagiire Vincent Waiswa has met and held discussions with Dr. Avv. Hersi Hagi Olosow, the Director-General of Protocol and acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia in a bid to further strengthen ties between the two countries.
The meeting took place at the Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, the Somalia capital.
Bagiire who is in Mogadishu for a working visit noted that Uganda values the strong historical relations with Somalia but also emphasized that in the spirit of Pan Africanism and brotherhood, there is hope that these relations will further be strengthened.
In response, Dr. Hersy, commended the excellent bilateral relations between both Somalia and Uganda.
He further underscored the need for more implementation of agreed areas cooperation identified in the cooperation agreement signed in 2016.
The two Permanent Secretaries also discussed various issues of mutual interest including the existing framework agreement signed between Uganda and Somalia in 2016.
The agreement encompasses areas of cooperation between different sectors and ministries, departments and agencies of the two countries ranging from political consultations (Foreign Affairs), defence and security, Police, air transport, trade and investment, health, agriculture and animal husbandry, refugees, financial services, tourism and culture among others.
The meeting was also attended by Maj. Gen. Nathan K. Mugisha, the Deputy Head of Mission, Uganda Embassy Mogadishu and Ali Abdiwele, the Director General of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
While in Mogadishu, the Permanent Secretary inspected residences and chancery buildings’ construction project of the Embassy of Uganda.
He oversaw the handover of phase one of the project which includes residences of the head and deputy head of mission.
He was thereafter appraised of phase 2 of the construction project.
The project management team from the Ministry of Works and Transport led by architect Edward Ssimbwa, the Commissioner of Public Structure was present for inspection and handover.
The Permanent Secretary also visited Uganda’s consular office near Mogadishu International Airport.
